Medic
by ParaDocksFF
Summary: Another Worm AU, with Taylor having Bonesaw's powers. Wacky!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Worm A/U. I don't own Worm, it belongs to Wildbow.

Chapter 1:

Darkness and pain. That was all I felt, for a moment at least. My vision recovered quickly enough. Looking down at myself, I saw that I was covered in glass. There was some blood running down my arm, and if the sensation on my face was anything to go by, I was probably bleeding from my head as well.

Looking up, slowly because of the pain in my neck, I saw the damaged windshield. Damaged was probably putting it nicely, it was destroyed if I was being honest.

I turned my head and looked at my mother. She was in worse shape than I was. The car had hit her side, she was bleeding more profusely than I was, and...

...

Damn it, I must have passed out again, briefly. Maybe a concussion. Nothing major, easy enough to fix by...

Woah. I realized that I did know how to fix a concussion. I was also struck with an idea on how to reinforce a skull to prevent further concussions. With the right materials and tools it would be easy to...

I shook my head. Not the time. I looked back at my mom and was bombarded with information. Numerous injuries caused by blunt trauma...those could wait. None appeared life threatening, at least from a cursory glance. The bleeding was more concerning now. If my new and strange estimates were right, judging by her rate of blood loss, she would bleed out in about 10 minutes. I unbuckled my seatbelt and went to investigate further.

Lots of cuts, a bruises that didn't look good at all...I was taking it all in, trying to formulate a plan. I was ripped from my thoughts by the sound of the passenger door opening.

"Holy shit, kid you shouldn't be moving around." the man said. "Just sit tight, okay? The ambulance is..."

I shook my head, and he paused. "Listen..." I said, my voice sounding ragged. Maybe I was worse than I thought? No, nothing too bad. I was sure of it. Nothing that couldn't be fixed, at least. "I...I need some things. My mom, if I don't do something..."

"Listen, I'm sure she'll be fine until the ambulance..."

I cut him off with another shake of my head, and spoke louder. "She'll die." I said. "I need some things. Is that your house?" I asked, pointing at the building behind the man. He nodded.

"Good..." I said. I looked back at my mother and thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, here's what I need."

The sound of my father's voice from the hallway was clear, even through the closed door of my room. He had arrived about twenty minutes earlier, to discover my mother in surgery and myself in a hospital room being examined. The doctor had left a few minutes ago, to my relief. I was fine, I assured him. He still seemed content to waste his time on me.

Finally, my father entered the room. He looked awful, crushed. "Taylor..." he said. "What happened?"

"The other car didn't stop at the sign..." I said. "Just kept going." I paused, then tried to put on a smirk. "Guess I'm not going to Emma's today, huh?"

My father shook his head, smiling a bit despite his mood. "They're still working on mom, they seem confident she'll make it..."

"She will." I said. It wasn't a question in the least. I was certain. The man who had come to check on us, and who called 911, hadn't exactly had what I needed, but the supplies he could give me were adequate to do what my brain told me I needed to do. I decided to keep the idea that my mother would be in better hands if the doctors had allowed me to perform the surgeries she needed. I could have fixed her, and even tossed in some improvements, I was sure.

"The EMTs, they said...they said you were working on her when they arrived?" dad asked. I nodded.

"I couldn't do nothing. If I had, she would have died." I said.

He seemed to mull that over for a moment before speaking again. "How did you know what to do?" he asked. A look in his eyes told me that he was thinking the same thing I was.

"I think I have a power." I said. It was kind of a lie. I didn't think it, I knew it.

To his credit, my father took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then spoke. "Okay...we'll deal with that once your mother is up. She was pretty banged up..."

"A broken arm, concussion, fractured ribs, some internal bleeding, and several deep gashes." I listed. "I was able to stitch the gashes. Not the best work, but adequate. The internal bleeding didn't seem too bad, but she had already lost a significant amount of blood. She was hooked up once she was in the ambulance, though, so I'm confident..."

My father was staring at me, his mouth agape.

"Um...she should be fine. I'd guess that the surgeries shouldn't take too much longer, but she'll be out for a while yet, depending on the anesthetic used." I finished.

My father shook his head and sat down in the chair next to my bed. "Oh boy..."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

It was about an hour before my mother was brought into the room, still unconscious. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that. _I could have had her fixed up in half that time_.

I sat and stared at her as she...not really slept. It was medically induced, after all. I ran through, in my mind, all the ways that I could fix her arm and save her the lengthy recovery period associated with a broken bone. My mind was able to produce a sort of...solution that would bind the bones back together and mend them almost instantly. It was made of some fairly easy to get compounds. A stop at the supermarket and hardware store and I could...

I was shaken from my thoughts by the sound of the door opening. Briefly, as it was opened, I could hear that the voice of Mr. Barnes had joined my father in the hall. I turned with a smile, seeing Emma as she entered. She looked mortified.

"Taylor, oh my God." she said, running over and wrapping me in a hug. "We started getting worried when you didn't show up, and then your dad called us when he heard from the hospital, and..."

"Emma, it's fine." I said. "We're okay."

"Taylor, they..." she hesitated. I could practically feel the nervousness radiating off of my best friend. And, I reflected, it would be so easy to come up with something to override the responses that resulted in such behaviors. "They're saying you might have powers? Like, the doctors are saying you saved your mom, and your dad is saying..."

 _Shoot._ I thought. I had fessed up to my father, but...I didn't want this to get out. Not yet, not like this. "They're, uh...not wrong."

Emma released me and looked me in the eyes. The surprise was obvious on her face. "What? You're..." she paused and lowered her voice to a whisper. "You're a cape?"

I nodded. "I got my power in the car, after seeing mom like that, I just..." I glanced toward my mother and shook my head.

Emma nodded. "So...what can you do? Do you heal people?"

I shook my head again. "No, not exactly. It's more like...I can understand the human body to a crazy degree. I looked at mom, and knew how to fix her. Even now I keep getting these ideas on how to improve people."

Emma looked confused. "So...like one of those capes that makes stuff?"

I shrugged. "I guess so." I said. "I haven't really had a chance to reflect on it too much, but...yeah."

Emma looked like she was about to say something when the door opened again, and our fathers walked in. We stopped, listening to what they were saying.

"...and it's really not their right to say anything. Not that they have proof, mind you." Mr. Barnes said.

My father nodded. "That's what I figured, but they just kept saying that this was a rare opportunity. Kept referencing that one healer girl...Panacea. Like they were trying to guilt me into selling out my daughter."

"I take it that went well?" I asked. My father smiled, though he looked exhausted.

"Well, they were suspicious about your...skills." he said.

Mr. Barnes nodded. "Yes, not that they can do anything. Legally, if they were to speak up about you having a power, if you were to, then they would be exposing a cape who happens to be a minor to danger." he said. "I made sure that they knew that, before reporting their theories to anyone."

"They still suspect, though..." I said.

"They do." Mr. Barnes confirmed. "But that isn't enough. You stitched some wounds, which isn't high caliber medical training."

"I also may have said some things..." I said, reflecting on what I had yelled at the EMTs as they arrived. Telling them the best way to fix my mother.

"Well, we could play that off easily." My father said, sheepishly. "Tell them you've been watching documentaries on medical procedures. You're a smart girl, so..."

I nodded. This was a headache.

"So..." Emma started. "What now?"

"Now, I think Taylor needs some rest." My father said. "They checked you out and gave you the all clear to go home. Your mother will have to stay the night, at least."

I looked at mom and sighed. "Okay..." I said. I wasn't in a rush to leave my mother here, but I did have a bit of an itch to get my ideas on paper, at least, and I couldn't ignore that. _A side effect?_ I wondered. _No matter...I just need to get to work._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

I didn't like what I was seeing as I walked down the sidewalk toward Emma's house. She was in front her house with a girl I had never seen before, her body language was different...almost defeated. Telltale signs of anxiety. It must have been related to the abrupt end of our phone call about a week ago.

I had been chatting with her, while on a little trip with my parents, lamenting my lack of materials as I had been wont to do over the past few months since getting my power. Lots of people talked about how great Tinkers were and all the amazing things they could do. No one ever really talked about how frustrating it was to be one without any of the materials they needed to do their work.

However, in the middle of me describing an idea I had for a weave that could wrap around organs, a sort of sheath that would offer protection in case of otherwise fatal injuries, Emma had hung up. I had tried calling her back a number of times, but she hadn't responded. She hadn't taken any of my calls for the past week. A week away from home, and my work, as meager as it was, and I couldn't even contact my best friend. It was less excruciating, admittedly, than the summer camp they had wanted to send me to, but it was still tough.

And here Emma was, clearly distressed, with some girl I had never seen before. "Hey Emma..." I said. "You...decided to do something different with your hair. I like it. You manage to pull off any style, huh?"

Emma was silent. The new girl wasn't. "The fuck are you?" she asked. This girl was...irritating. My smile faltered.

"My name is Taylor." I said. "And I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to my good friend Emma." I turned back to her, dropping the formalities. "Something happened."

She looked shocked. I could see it. Not only was she now displaying anxiety, and attempting to hide it, I noted. She wasn't doing a great job at it, not to me at least, but she was trying. She was also displaying...irritation?

"Nothing happened..." she said.

I shook my head. "Come on, Emma. You can't hide things from me. Even if I didn't know you as well as I do, your body language is practically screaming that something bad happened. Something bad enough that you wouldn't talk to me." But she would talk to this new girl.

Emma seemed to shrink back a bit. I sighed and turned to the new girl. "You know what happened, I assume?"

The girl paused. She looked me up and down, making me feel a bit self conscious. I looked down at the white t shirt, shorts, and flip flops I was wearing, then back to her. She smirked for a moment, then let it drop. She still didn't speak.

I pursed my lips. This was...infuriating, to a degree. "Okay, not talking." I said. "Interesting. Let's see here." I walked over to Emma and started looking her over. I poked at her arm, and she flinched. "Hmmm, some signs of trauma on your arm here, though it's faded considerably." I said. "Probably from about a week ago." I looked at her hair. "You loved your hairs length before, and there's some damage to the roots." Sometimes being tall for my age was an advantage.

"So, you were in some sort of physical altercation." I said, frowning as I did. I looked back at the new girl. Her body language had shifted. The open hostility was replaced with surprise and curiosity. "And if you know about it, as I assume you do, then you were involved. Emma didn't seem hostile toward you, so you weren't the attacker. You helped?"

The girl seemed taken aback, but nodded slowly. She looked to Emma, and so did I. She looked ashamed and frightened.

"Gonna fill me in now?" I asked. "I've figured out a decent amount already, so..."

"Are you a cape?" the girl asked. I instantly straightened up and looked at her, even as I knew that action would likely give the answer away. I met her eyes.

"A thinker?" she asked. No hostility in the words.

I shook my head. "You've got one letter too many." I said. No point in lying. She already figured it out.

She seemed to mull what I said over for a moment. "So...you made something that let's you read minds?"

I smirked and shook my head. "Nope. Haven't been able to make much, actually. I lack materials. But, my power does give me a pretty great understanding of the human body. Including body language. It's pretty easy for me to read people."

The girl nodded slowly, then looked to Emma. "You never mentioned you already had a cape friend."

"I...I didn't want to betray that trust." Emma said. "Not my secret to tell."

"Coulda helped out. I wouldn't have been so..."

"Hostile?" I asked.

"Sure, yeah. Hostile." the girl said. "Name's Sophia. Sorry bout the greeting. Had you pegged as a wimp."

I raised an eyebrow. "Taylor. And...no problem? Maybe don't judge people so quickly." I turned to Emma. "Now, wanna fill me in?"

* * *

"Shit..." I said. "I should have been there. Or...or I should have made something. Some of the modifications I came up with could have helped. If I had the materials..."

"Taylor, please..." Emma said. "Just...don't worry about it. I survived. I'm fine. I just..."

"No, Emma. I won't not worry." I said. "This is the kind of stuff I want to use my power to prevent. Shit, maybe I should just join the Wards. If I did, at least I would have some real supplies instead of just scrounging junkyards and hitting the hardware store with my allowance."

"Some of the stuff you've made is pretty cool, though." Emma said. "That spider robot thing?"

"I thought you said your specialty was medical tinkering." Sophia said.

"It is, but...the robot is a kind of assistant. I guess it falls under the umbrella of my power." I said.

"You made anything else?"

"Not really. I came up with some chemicals that could stimulate muscle growth, make exercise more effective, stuff like that." I said. "But my hands are tied without access to raw materials."

Sophia scratched her chin for a moment. "Okay...well what kind of stuff could you make with some materials?"

"Depends on what I could get." I said. "I have notebooks full of ideas. I kinda recycled my school notebooks for that, but ideas just keep coming. I know I could make some stuff that could really make a difference, but..."

"Okay, what if I knew a place where you could get some supplies?" Sophia asked. My eyes widened, and I knew the two other girls could tell I was interested.

"Are you...talking about something illegal?" I asked.

"Not...really." Sophia said. "I know where these two losers, Uber and L33t set up shop. L33t, he's a tinker. Figure he'll have materials you may be able to use. If I bust him, and their base gets trashed and stuff goes missing..."

My eyes must have had quite a sparkle in them, because Emma and Sophia grinned. "When can we go?" I asked.

* * *

"You were pretty brutal, Shadow Stalker." I said, looking through L33t's supplies. "They were pretty beat up."

"They're criminals. They get what they deserve." Sophia...Shadow Stalker said.

"Well, maybe lay off. You wanna end up in the Birdcage? Doesn't matter if they're criminals or not. Killing is a no-no." I said.

I could hear her scoff, and rolled my eyes. She clearly had some issues, but I was willing to overlook them for this boon. L33t had...an impressive collection of materials. I wasn't surprised. We had researched the pair all afternoon. L33t was capable of a lot. But, he was only capable once. He could dip into whatever he wanted to.

The only issue was figuring out what I could take. "I don't know how to pick." I admitted. "I could use so much of this stuff."

Sophia shook her head. "Why pick? Take it all."

"First, how do I carry all of it? Second, where do I hide it?" I asked.

"You've never watched their dumb show, have you?" Sophia asked. "They're huge nerds. Base all their stuff off games. Here." she said, tossing me a messenger bag. "Tinker bag, he called it his 'Bag of Holding'. Some kinda pocked dimension crap. Can hold whatever you want."

I was grinning like an idiot again as I picked up the bag. I didn't care though. "I think you just became one of my favorite people." I said. "This is like, one of the best days ever. If you want anything, let me know. I can work on it. Already got some general ideas, like I said. Wanna give Emma some stuff too. Not sure exactly how much I can accomplish with this stuff, but..."

"Actually, I may have some ideas." Shadow Stalker said. "We can talk once we load that bag up. Don't want the Protectorate or cops showing up while we're pillaging. We'll loot, hen call the PRT on the way out."

"What if they mention the stuff?" I asked.

"You think those two are gonna complain about the stuff they stole being stolen to the cops?" Shadow Stalker asked.

I grinned behind the surgical mask I wore to hide my face. It was a pretty silly notion. "Fair point." I said. "Fine. Let's load this bag up and go. The tranquilizer I stuck them with will last about an hour and a half. Should be plenty of time."

 _Then I can finally get to work._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

I could hear the groan from behind me as Sophia woke up. "Morning, sunshine." I said, eliciting another groan from her.

"How long was I out?" she asked.

"A few hours." I said. "Took me about an hour and a half to get everything done. Guess I need to work on the anesthesia. Could probably make it so you wake up only a few minutes after I take you off it..."

I could hear her approaching. "What are you doing n...oh fuck." she said, looking down at Emma. Admittedly, to people other than me, this could look a bit...bad. I currently had Emma's arm sliced open, and was working on installing some of my work in her.

"I'm installing a taser system, of sorts." I said. "L33t's stuff was great, but not much I can do in the way of self defense."

I could hear Sophia mumble something, but couldn't make out what. After a moment, she spoke again. "So, how'd my...surgery go?"

I smiled. "Great, of course." I said. "It was really interesting. I mean, my parents don't want me messing with them, so I haven't gotten many chances to try things on people other than myself. And obviously there are limits there, too. I mean, sure I can test my skin and bone bonding agents, but it's tougher to apply my grander ideas to myself. Or, it was. I should be able to make a few more of my spider bots and then I should be able to use them too..."

I was shaken from my rambling by Sophia snapping her fingers. I shook my head and smiled. "Sorry, tangent. Anyway, I think I was really successful. I had to...force your power a few times while you were under to get some more data, which was really interesting."

"What, the last few days of your testing wasn't enough?" Sophia asked.

"Not even close. I think I could study a power for weeks and still be fascinated, but yours in particular. I mean, your whole state of being changes. Which is fascinating, but makes working on you a bit tougher..."

I could sense Sophia growing agitated, so I sighed and continued. "Anyway, if you shift to your Shadow state, you should be able to tell me how it worked. I mean, I can go on and on about how great I did, but your the real test."

"Okay..." Sophia said. A moment later, I heard a gasp. "Holy shit. It actually worked. I can see all the wiring in the walls. It's just...glowing blue."

I grinned. "Perfect, I was hoping I could get your brain to interpret it that way. It's actually kind of tricky to pull off, you know. I mean, we're already forcing your eyes to perceive something they weren't naturally made to perceive, and then forcing a color onto it? And that's ignoring the difficulty of making it so it only happens when you're in your Shadow state."

"This...this is good. No more needing to worry about getting myself killed by going through the wrong wall." Sophia said. I nodded. We had spent the last few days discussing various ways around that weakness of hers. Her Shadow state was unique, and I couldn't find a way to boost it's resistance to electricity. Not in any conceivable way, anyhow. But, letting her see the sources of electricity? That I could do.

"It's a start." I said. "Plenty of other ideas. Just need more materials."

"This wasn't enough? We cleaned those idiots out." Sophia said.

"It's good. A start." I replied. "But it's not the same as having my own source of materials. All the more reason I may need to join the Wards."

Sophia growled. "No way. Bunch of losers. They don't know what it's really like to be a hero."

"Regardless, they do have funding." I said. "Which is all I really need. Don't particularly care about their mindsets. Though, researching their powers..."

"You'd be wasted, there." Sophia said. "Probably just use you to patch them up. Limit your real research."

I nodded. "That's what I'm afraid of, but...might not have a choice." I finished installing the parts in Emma's right hand and grinned. "But that's for later. I can make do with what I have for now." I then set to work mending Emma's arm. When I was done, no one would be able to tell I had done anything at all.

"There's always a choice." Sophia said.

* * *

"Dammit, Sophia..." I said.

"You think I fucking like this?" Sophia asked.

"We've told you a thousand times to be careful. Don't just go around killing people." Emma said.

"And now look at you. A probationary Ward." I said.

"Fuck." Sophia said. "Gonna suck."

"Maybe...not as much as it could." I said.

Sophia glared at me. "Don't do it." she said. "Not cause of this shit."

"I need materials." I said. "It's been too long, trying to work with what we can scrounge up. I mean, it's worked so far, but with the Protectorate and PRT breathing down your neck, you won't be able to help."

"I'll find a way." Sophia said.

I shook my head. "No, I've put it off too long. I may not join, if I don't have to, but...I need to go chat with the Protectorate."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: So, some comments have pointed out that my formatting has not been saved, apparently. Fun times. I'll probably fix that later, but...yeah, sorry about that.

Chapter 5:

I took a deep breath as I approached the Protectorate headquarters. I knew it was kind of silly to feel nervous, especially when dressed in what I considered my costume: A surgical mask to hide my face, a white surgical apron with a pocket for tools, and a white coat with a hood to hide my hair. I also wore a white t shirt and a pair of jeans under it, because I wasn't about to sacrifice comfort for appearance.

But even still, I was a 14 year old girl walking into what amounted to a nest of the strongest heroes in the city. Alone. Emma couldn't come without implicating herself, as well as my secret identity. Same for Sophia, though there were also the negative connotations surrounding her recent...mistake.

My parents coming would have given the wrong idea entirely. Despite me setting up this meeting with the heroes, despite me walking into this...looming building, I wasn't really planning on joining them.

I wasn't stupid. Obviously. I mean, I was probably the best surgeon in the world. Even without any training. But, I was smart enough to know my ideas would be...frowned upon. Or, if not frowned upon, heavily regulated. I hadn't needed Sophia's stories to tell me that. Though they had painted my opinion of the organization slightly.

No, I couldn't join the Wards because they wouldn't let me do what I wanted, or needed, to do. They would limit me to being an emergency medic when Panacea wasn't available. Maybe, once they got through stringent testing, they would let me make slight modifications, but...no. I couldn't do it. I couldn't join.

But I did need their support. I needed their connections.

We had spent hours considering options. Alternatives to joining the Wards. New Wave was out because I wanted to keep my identity secret, plus they had a healer. The Wards and Protectorate were out for...all the reasons I had already gone over. Unless I wanted to go villain, my options were limited.

Until we discovered that the Protectorate would make exceptions and offer resources to individuals who could prove themselves to be particularly useful. People with unique skills that could turn the tide of battle.

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I was fairly confident I fit that bill.

I looked around and noticed that I was drawing attention of the normals. Taking another deep breath, I walked into the building and straight up to the receptionist. _Be confident._ Sophia had said. _Be a predator._

The woman looked up at me as I approached, and cocked an eyebrow. She was still trying to analyze me as I had already finished doing the same to her. She was in her early 30's. I had bet 32 to myself. She looked tired, but not physically. She slumped forward slightly, her eyes looked weary, and she carried herself as though she was unsure of her every action. It was pretty easy, for me, to see she was depressed.

I could deal with that for her. Permanently. No medications, nothing. It would just require some minor brain surgery, an implant to offset the chemical imbalance that led to her depression. But, that was the kind of thing that I was sure this organization would frown upon.

"Um...can I help you?" the woman asked. She tried to inject a bit of cheer into her uncertain voice.

I took another deep breath before speaking. "Yes, I have an appointment." I said. "I gave my name as Medic when I set it up."

The woman hesitated a moment before looking to her computer and typing something. I noticed a momentary wave of surprise pass over her face, and then she forced a smile and turned back to me.

"Ahh, yes. You'll be set up in conference room 3. If you'll follow Jerry, he can take you there." the woman said, gesturing to a man in his mid twenties who stood near the desk. I nodded and followed the man down a hallway to the right side.

We were both silent as he led me to my destination, and once we arrived, I entered just as quietly. The room was empty, so I took a seat at the end of the table closest the door and waited. I made it about 2 minutes before I had my notebook out and was scribbling ideas down. It was about another 15 minutes before the individuals I was meeting with entered.

I glanced up as they entered. One was instantly recognizable. Armsmaster. Head of the Protectorate branch I was standing in and renowned Tinker in his own right. Standing in the same room as him was fairly intimidating.

The woman with him...I didn't know her at all. She seemed official though, not like an assistant to the hero. PRT maybe? Either way, it was obvious she was in rough shape. Overweight, deep tissue damage, even the signs of dialysis. What had happened to her?

"You're younger than we anticipated." Armsmaster said, taking a seat at the other end of the table. I just nodded. I had decided to leave my age out of the equation when I set up my appointment to add a bit of credence.

"So..." the woman began. "Shall we begin?"

"So, it's only you two?" I asked. "I figured a situation like this would warrant more attention."

"There are three individuals present." the woman spoke.

"Myself and Director Piggott represent the Protectorate and the PRT, respectively." Armsmaster said. "Dragon is joining us remotely on behalf of The Guild."

That gave me pause, even as the monitor behind the two lit up and displayed a digitized face. "Greetings, Medic." Dragon spoke. Even the voice sounded digitized, like it belonged more to a computer than a person.

"Wow...I figured it would just be more Protectorate involvement, but Dragon?" I asked. Dragon was considered to be the best Tinker in the world. And she was here. Judging me and my work.

"The abilities that you claim to have are...interesting." The woman, Director Piggott, said. "If true, you could be an asset not just to Brockton Bay, but to the world."

I nodded slowly. The woman sounded hesitant, even as she spoke of my potential. She struck me as the exact type of person that I was worried about.

"So, shall we begin?" Armsmaster asked.

I nodded. "I...don't have much to show. At least not in practice. My resources have been limited, obviously." I said. I wasn't about to admit that Sophia and I had liberated some materials from Uber and L33t. A few times. A month. For the past few months. "I have brought my notebook, with a number of ideas." I added, sliding it across the table.

Armsmaster reached and picked it up, then started leafing through it. His mask made it difficult to judge his reaction, but the fact that he kept going back to previous pages showed implied he was at least a little impressed. I was momentarily concerned that they may decide to keep the notebook, but I had modified my eyes to allow me to save video of what I saw, so it wasn't a major concern even if they did.

"Impressive." Dragon spoke. I assumed she had cameras that allowed her to view the notes.

"Though, notes are not the same as being able to show off your work." Piggott spoke.

I grimaced behind my mask, even as I had predicted this would happen. "I'm aware. Resources are an issue, though. Along with...test subjects, I suppose. I have created these..." I said. I opened my backpack and allowed two of my hobbled together spider robots out. The director looked at them curiously.

"They're...surgical assistants. They have a number of tools built into them, and are able to act semi-autonomously." I said. "I have used them to allow me to make modifications to myself."

"You've...performed surgery on yourself?" Piggott asked. She looked horrified. I grinned. "Nothing too major. I have had them help me test some compounds. I broke bones to test a compound that would mend them instantly. And, when sealing me up, I had them use a compound that was guaranteed to not leave a scar and to mend the skin instantly. I can demonstrate that, if you like. I brought my compounds, and if we clear the table I can..."

"That...won't be necessary." Piggott said. "I would rather not watch a young girl potentially mutilate herself."

I shrugged, and then observed them as they watched my spiders walk across the table.

"You made these?" Armsmaster asked. "Even though your specialty is biological systems."

I nodded. "Yup, I guess my power sees them as an extension of myself, or a resource, or something." I said. "I'm not gonna complain. They're really useful. It would have really sucked to have to test my compounds on myself while under anesthetic. I mean, I could have gone local, but I haven't really focused on making any of those, yet. And if I had ignored anesthetic altogether, then my hands may have involuntarily jerked or something, and that would have sucked."

After observing the spiders for a few minutes, they then went on to quiz me about the various things in my notebook. That section took about an hour and a half. They then dismissed me to discuss their opinions. I was called back into the room after half an hour. Piggott was the one who spoke.

"We would strongly recommend you join the Wards." she said, getting right to the point. "A Tinker of your unique skill set...you'll be a target."

I shook my head. "I'm not interested in getting into fights, ma'am. I just need materials to do my work."

"I'm afraid, based on what we've seen, we'll be unable to provide materials unless you agree to sign on to the Wards. These ideas of yours...they're interesting, but would need to go through many checks and balances before they could be used."

I could feel my anger surfacing, and lamented my lack of resources to build something to help inhibit my emotions. Maybe if I had, I could have kept my composure better. "I already said, I'm not interested. You're really going to turn a blind eye to me because I won't join your sidekick program? I could help you without joining."

I could see Armsmaster's mouth thin, and he was even more rigid than he had been before. It led me to assume this was mostly the Director's decision. "I'm afraid..." he said. "That the Director is right. Without any supervision or assistance, you would be in danger. The Wards would be able to help alleviate that."

I shook my head and stood up. "I already told you, I'm not joining." I said. "So, if there's nothing else, I'll leave." I looked at them, and when they didn't protest, I turned and left.

I could feel tears of anger beginning to form in my eyes as I left the Protectorate building. _Idiots. All of them._ I thought. _Sophia was right. Even Armsmaster...Even Dragon, had decided not to help me unless I joined the Wards._

I snuck into an alley and stripped off my costume, shoving it into my backpack next to my spiders and notebook. I then headed to the bus stop and climbed on the bus. The whole ride home, I lamented. How could they not see how much I could do. How could they let an opportunity like this slip by. Even if I wasn't a Ward, I could still do stuff. More than the Wards, even, without the PRT's regulations.

I knew that was what they were afraid of, but...it was still stupid.

I made it home in about half an hour, and headed to my room. I turned on my computer, a hand me down laptop from my mom, and decided to surf internet. My parents had caved in and gotten an internet connection when I had spent a few too many days sitting at the library from open to close to do research.

I logged onto the PHO boards, deciding to distract myself by learning new gossip, when I saw that I had a PM. The name appeared to be a random string of numbers and letters. Curious, I clicked the message.

Medic,

Not all of us agree with the Director's position.

I can help.

If you're open to help, we can provide it.

Please respond so we may set up a meeting to discuss our options.

-D.

I smiled as I read the message. Maybe they weren't as short sighted as I thought.

I began typing up my response. No sense in waiting.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

For the second time that day, I was on my way to a meeting. I had scheduled this one for a few hours after I got home so that I had time to eat some lunch and send messages to Emma and Sophia. I was reasonably sure I knew who had scheduled it. The message had been signed with a D. But, I wanted some safeguards in place.

The meeting had required me to hop onto another bus. My destination this time was about a 15 minute ride from the PRT building. When I arrived, I ducked down an alleyway to pull on my costume pieces. I silently thanked my parents for allowing me to skip school for the day. It would have been inconvenient to have to skip out of school to make it to this second meeting.

Once I had pulled my costume on, I exited the other end of the alley and looped back around to the building that my meeting was to be in. I pushed open the door and walked in. The entrance way didn't have much to it. Just a short hallway with an elevator at the end. I walked over to the elevator and pressed the down button, as I had been told to in the last message I had received.

Once the elevator door opened, I exited and looked around. The bottom floor was just a large empty room. I walked around for a moment, looking it all over.

"Hello?" I asked. "Anyone here?"

"Good afternoon, Medic." a voice called. I smiled.

"Dragon." I replied. "I figured it was you that messaged me."

"Yes, I considered being more subtle, but did not want to cause you undue alarm." Dragon said.

I nodded. "So, you didn't agree with the director?"

"The situation is...interesting." Dragon spoke. "Your powers could be viewed, by the general public, as disturbing. However, you are clearly very skilled and have a number of interesting ideas. We feel it would be foolish to allow you to go without assistance, or be forced into a life of crime to get the resources you need."

"You keep saying we." I said.

"Indeed. Armsmaster agrees with my assessment. I trust that you won't spread that around."

"Of course." I said.

"Excellent. In any case, depriving you the ability to flex your power would not only be cruel to you, it would be a disservice to the world. Even ignoring potential modifications, your ability to repair damage would be invaluable after Endbringer attacks. With enough skill, you may even be able to build new bodies for injured heroes."

I thought for a moment. It was fairly common knowledge that Dragon was a shut in because of damage that she suffered when Leviathan attacked Newfoundland. Could that be what this was? "May I ask...is this whole situation because you want my help?"

Dragon hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I would be lying if I were to say that the idea had not crossed my mind."

"You don't need to give me stuff for me to help you. If you come here, or bring me to you, I could..."

"Unfortunately, I am not ready for your assistance as of yet. Though, rest assured, I am not offering this for purely selfish reasons. As a Tinker myself, I can understand the frustration of not being able to get the materials you need."

I nodded. "Okay, so...what would I have to do?" I asked.

"If you agree, then this building will function as your workshop. I own the building, so you will have privacy. I will assist you with acquiring any materials you need, including providing funds. All I will ask in return is that you assist the heroes of the city, and perhaps assist with personal projects of mine and Armsmaster's."

"Um, I have no problem helping you guys, but I feel a little weird accepting all of that." I said.

"Please, don't. I make more than I truly know what to do with from my various jobs. Money is not an issue. And I am always eager to help a new Tinker, especially one with as much potential as you possess." Dragon said. "Please, Medic. I would like to help you."

I took a deep breath, then nodded. "If you don't mind, I'd love your help." I said.

"Excellent." Dragon said. I could hear the happiness in her voice. "We should discuss what you'll need to get started. I have just begun purchasing things based on the notes I saw back at the PRT offices."

I raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you don't waste any time." I said, laughing.

"I do not." Dragon said. We then spent the next two hours going over a list of items that I would need. Dragon assured me that she was going to install systems to keep everything sterile. As we talked, I began to piece together what she wanted from me. When she spoke, her voice was too artificial. She couldn't speak under her own power.

I also wondered what Armsmaster may want from me. Dragon gave no hints in regard to that, however.

Eventually, I ran out of things to request for starters and we went our separate ways. I headed outside looped back to the alley and stripped off my costume pieces. I headed out of the alleyway and to the bus stop.

I could probably make it home before my dad got back. Mom would already be there. I couldn't wait to tell them. It wasn't the Protectorate, it was better. I was going to be working personally with Dragon. And Armsmaster, I guessed. And I would be able to get any supplies I needed. My parents weren't going to believe this.

Neither were Emma and Sophia.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

"So it sounds like it went well?" my father asked as he cut into his steak.

I nodded, swallowing my food. "The Protectorate and PRT weren't that helpful, at all. But, Dragon is willing to help me get myself started, so at least I have that."

"That is impressive." my mother said. "Dragon is a pretty big deal. So, are you part of The Guild, or...?"

I shook my head. "Nope, just an independent cape with Dragon's support." I said. "Having her backing me up should make me safer than if I was alone. No one's gonna want to mess with Dragon."

"So, how soon till you're all set up?" my father asked.

"She said it should be ready by next week. Which is pretty amazing, really. I mean, all of the things she needs to get to get me started, and the money that she'll need to put into it. But I'm really excited. I mean, all of the things I'll be able to do now."

My mother laughed. "Well, I hope you won't be too into it. I mean, school is going to start in a couple of months. I don't want you to forget about that."

"I won't." I said, sighing. "But still, I've got so many ideas, I can't wait to get started."

We finished up our dinners and then moved to the living room to watch TV. Or, my parents watched TV while I scribbled ideas in my notebook. A little while later, a knock sounded on our front door. My father went and answered the door, and returned a moment later with Emma and Sophia. We excused ourselves and headed to my room, where I filled them in on the days events.

"Woah, Dragon herself is helping you out?" Emma asked.

"That is impressive." Sophia said. "Kinda surprised the Piggott acted like that. Woulda figured she'd be all over recruiting a Tinker like you."

I shrugged. "Don't know what to say. She wasn't having it. I'm just glad Dragon was interested." I said. "

"Well, this is the best of both worlds, right? You get Dragon's resources, and none of the restrictions the PRT would put on you." Emma said.

Yeah, that was more or less my thought on it." I said. "Which works well. That means I should be able to keep working on you two as I come up with good ideas for you."

Sophia leaned forward in her chair. "Yeah? You got something in the works?"

"Plenty of things." I said. "I know you're stuck with the Wards, but that doesn't mean you can't get a little outside help right? And Emma, just cause you're not a cape, doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to defend yourself."

"So, what are you thinking?" Emma asked.

"General defenses for both of you. Some organ sheaths that would protect you from otherwise fatal injuries, mods that can make you immune to most poisons...I've even been toying with something that should eliminate drowning as a threat."

"Seriously?" Emma asked. "If you could do all of that...that's incredible."

I nodded. "I know. And then there's Sophia, in particular. With the equipment Dragon's getting me, I should be able to investigate your power more in depth. Once I do that, I'm sure I can come up with some specialized devices for you."

Sophia grinned. "Such as?"

I shook my head. "Uh uh, not making any promises." I said. "You'll just have to wait and see once I have more data."

Sophia groaned and leaned back. "Patience isn't one of my strong suits, Hebert."

"Well, you'll have to learn, Hess." I said. "It'll be worth it, I'm sure. Especially since Dragon has access to a lot of other Tinker's tech. She said she'd be able to get me access."

"Wow." Emma said. "It's almost enough to make me wish I was a cape so I could see what you could whip up for me."

"I'm sure I can get you something you'll be happy with." I told Emma. "And, when all is said and done, you'll be one of the most capable non-capes in the city."

I looked at my two friends. "We'll all be a force to be reckoned with."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

The equipment that Dragon had provided was amazing. More than worth the week I had to wait to get my hands on it. I made a vow, after looking everything over, to make sure to help her with whatever her problem was to the best of my abilities. Not that I hadn't been planning to anyway, but...yeah. She was definitely going to get my best work.

Once I made myself familiar with my new toys, I set straight to work. I had enough monitoring equipment that I was confident that I could really delve into how powers work. And, more importantly, how to make the most out of them.

Sophia was my first test subject. She was more than happy to follow my regiment once the promise of an increase to her power was on the table. It took me a week and a half of research to really grasp her power. I had to see it in action, see how it interacted with different materials, and so on. We didn't learn too much there. She had already learned a decent number of things on her own. The testing she had been subjected to when she was drafted into the Wards had answered a bit more.

The information I got from the brain scans and the monitors I hooked up to her while testing, though? That was usable. I was able to see that her power operated more optimally under certain conditions, and after a quick chat, learned that it was close to what she felt when she triggered.

I also learned that the more she used her power, the more the centers of her brain relating to aggression fired up. Not surprising, given what Emma and myself had seen of how she acted both in and out of costume. It did lead me to speculate that her Corona Polentia was having an effect on her personality. I tested myself, and found that while my brain did react to me Tinkering more, it wasn't leading to the same level of increased aggression.

It was a full two weeks after getting my lab set up that I found myself seated with Sophia.

"Are you ready for this?" I asked her, washing off my hands. She looked apprehensive for a moment, but nodded.

"Sure, sure. You gonna give me the works?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. "The organ mesh is the main installation today." I said. "I'm still toying with some ideas on how to get around your electricity weakness. I also have the pain dampener that I can give you. It won't eliminate pain entirely, but it'll probably halve it."

Sophia seemed to consider for a moment, then nodded. "Sounds good."

"I also have a little surprise I worked up. A sort or relay that should, theoretically, allow you to transmit your power to a receiver set to a certain frequency. If it pans out, then the Manton effect would stop it from working on people, but we could apply it to weapons or other devices."

Sophia's eyes widened. "You gotta be kidding." she said. "That would be crazy."

I smirked. "The best ideas always are."

"Well, what are we waiting for. Let's get going." Sophia said. I put the gas mask that would deliver the anesthesia and waited a few moments for her to fall asleep. Once I was sure she was out, I let out a sigh of relief.

It had taken a bit to get Dragon to agree to not observe this operation. She was, understandably, weary of what I could do. It was at least equaled by her curiosity. There was no way she wouldn't have ended up knowing about my association with Sophia, so we hadn't even tried to hide it.

I was able to get her to agree to letting me work on Sophia by stating that it would show the PRT my usefulness, and open me up to have more leeway with my work. Plus, I told her that it was just safety items.

Which, to my credit, was mostly true. The mesh around the organs would protect Shadow Stalker, the wayward Ward, from fatal injuries should she be caught in a bad spot. The pain dampener would, in theory, allow her to overlook her pain and escape to a safe location if she was in danger.

Dragon was placated by my reasoning, and agreed to give me my secrecy during this procedure. I had even promised that I would allow her to observe next time.

All so that I could enact my other plan. I looked over at my unconscious friend. It had taken quite a while to consider her a friend. Initially, she had been an annoyance. Her brisk attitude had put me off of her immediately.

When she revealed that she had a way to help me get materials so I could work, well...she had been promoted from annoyance to asset. Even if I hadn't liked her, she had a use. And, after a few excursions, I had to even admit that she had been good at what she did. And she did grow on me, very slowly.

I sighed as I went to collect the tools I would need. "We had a pretty good thing going, back when we started." I said. "Not perfect, honestly. The stuff we took from those other Tinkers wouldn't suit my needs forever, but...it was working for the time."

I turned on a couple of my spider bots, my assistants for the day. "But then you went and screwed up. You just had to go overboard when taking down those criminals, huh?" I asked. Not that I expected a response. "Well, not entirely your fault, I guess. Your power has done a number on how you work. Altered the connections in your brain so you operate at peak aggression all the time. So much so that you overlook what that kind of action will lead to for you."

I grimaced. "What it could have led to for us, since we were kind of helping you."

"But, don't worry. I've learned plenty from these last couple of weeks. When I first found out about that particular aspect of you, I wondered if the aggression fueled your power. But, after talking to you about your trigger, I realized that's not it. It's just a..."

I searched for the right word, then shrugged. "I guess side effect is close enough. The aggression doesn't fuel your power or anything, it's just...there. But, it doesn't have to be."

The three modifications I had told Sophia about had taken no time at all to come up with. Two were already planned before I even met with Dragon, and the last was simple enough to figure out.

My real effort over the last week or so had been in developing a device that would limit the girl's aggression. Not eliminate it completely, but bring it to normal levels, and have it kick in at normal times as opposed to always being there. I could have just done some brain surgery, I was fairly sure, but...this was probably safer. Plus, I could always turn it off if we needed the original Shadow Stalker back.

"Not that that should be likely." I mused aloud. "You'll still be you, just...more relaxed. Less likely to go around killing indiscriminately and risking yourself and your friends being incriminated."

I laid the devices I needed on a tray next to the operating table and stretched a bit. "Sure, people may notice, but I doubt anyone will look too deeply into it. I mean, who's gonna complain about you being more relaxed, right? So, sorry about not telling you, but...it's for the best. Don't want you getting sent to jail and ruining everything I'm about to equip you with, right?"

With that, I picked up my scalpel and smiled. "In a few hours, you'll be a new and improved Shadow Stalker, and Sophia."


	9. Interludes 1

Interludes 1:

-Dragon-

It was a well established fact that teenagers could be very tiring to deal with. Their young age led to them believing that they were smarter and more durable than they were.

When one added powers into the mix, well...it only served to reinforce the belief that they held.

She had dealt with many Wards since she had come into existence, and had seen many of them push boundaries because they believed they knew better than their elders.

It had led to her seeing some of the lowest moments of some capes lives. Loved ones killed due to a foolish mistake, an injury taking the young capes out of action before they ever got a chance to truly find themselves. Or worse, in some cases.

It was because of this that she was...concerned as she watched Medic work on Shadow Stalker. The girl had a lot of potential, but something like this...it could ruin her if it went wrong. Or even if it went right, and was revealed that she had done it at all.

For all intents and purposes, what Dragon had just overheard the girl say was akin to a Master effect being permanently applied to the former vigilante. It would sow the seeds of distrust in the minds of anyone who knew what the girl was capable of.

That was...not preferred.

She was putting a lot of hope and faith into the young Tinker. Colin was, as well. Though, to a much smaller degree. He was interested in how Medic could enhance his body, to give him an edge in the field.

He didn't need her to help construct an entire body from scratch.

The moment she had learned about what the girl could do, she knew that she may be the answer to the longest standing problem that Dragon had. With her help, she could finally have a real body.

But this, this could ruin the girl. This sort of oversight could easily lead to a cape being sent to the birdcage without question. Under most cases, Dragon would need to report this instantly to the PRT director of the region.

Most cases. This, however, was not most cases.

Dragon had become something of an expert, when it came to working around her limitations.

Firstly, and most importantly, she had witnessed Shadow Stalker agree to Medic's enhancements. Had the girl kidnapped test subjects, that would be one thing. But, there was wiggle room when they were both consenting. There was the issue of them being underage, but...that was already a grey area with capes.

The other important piece of information was that, based on what Medic had said, this was not intended to harm Shadow Stalker. It wasn't entirely altruistic. The girl had admitted that this was sparked by Shadow Stalker ignoring Medic's advice to let up on the violence.

But, as Dragon viewed it, Medic was trying to keep her friend out of further trouble. That was...noble. Even if the execution was foolish.

The only variable that was missing was how this would actually affect Shadow Stalker. Whether the girl would be essentially lobotomized by this surgery, or if she would be a calmer version of her self.

Dragon would wait to see the results. If Shadow Stalker was, essentially, fine then there would be no need to report this...indiscretion.

Everyone makes mistakes, after all.

-Chief Director Costa-Brown-

"Please, continue." Rebecca said to Director Piggot. The woman looked incredibly nervous. Only a touch less nervous than when she was dealing with Alexandria, as a matter of fact.

"Yes, of course. We haven't heard anything from Medic since her meeting here." Piggot said. "She seems to have gone into hiding..."

Rebecca allowed a smirk to come to her lips. "Come now, Emily." she said, noting with some amusement the look of irritation that quickly passed over the Director's face. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

"Well, she hasn't come back to ask for assistance again..." Piggot said.

"OF course not." Rebecca said. "I'd wager she doesn't need to. Dragon, in a room with a Tinker with so much potential? I'm sure the girl will be getting what she needs."

Director Piggot looked flabbergasted, revealing that the idea had obviously not crossed her mind. "What...? If that's true, then why would you have me turn her away? I assumed you wanted to make sure she would follow our rules..."

Rebecca shook her head. "No, we need to gauge her more accurately first. Tinkers will find ways to build regardless of rules. We need some more information first. With Dragon backing her, she'll be able to do a bit of work, and we'll be able to feel her out some more. Then, once we know how she operates, we can make a better judgement call."

Piggot hesitated, but then nodded. "I...I see." she said. "If you think that's best..."

I do. Thank you for your call, Emily. Keep me updated." Rebecca said. She then ended the call without waiting for a response.

She hadn't completely lied to Piggot. They did want to see what this new Tinker...Medic, was capable of. It just so happened that the 'They' wasn't the PRT. It was Cauldron. If this girl was capable of half of what Armsmaster and Dragon had speculated, then she would be invaluable. She may even be able to assist with the formulas...

But that was only if she was capable. And there was no way she would have been able to exert her full skills with the PRT breathing down her neck. No, Dragon would take good care of the girl for the time being. Rebecca was sure of it.

She would, of course, mention these updates to Contessa. Nothing wrong with making sure things progress as they should.

-The Wards-

Kid Win yawned and stretched in his seat at the monitor. Most of his fellow Wards hated it, but he didn't mind. Sure, it was boring, but it gave him time to jot down ideas.

He looked over to where Vista was watching TV. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your patrol?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "I still have an hour before I need to go." she said. "Besides, I'm with Dennis today. He won't show up until a few minutes before we need to leave. If we're lucky."

Kid Win laughed. That was Clockblocker's typical way of heading out for patrols. He waited until the last possible moment to head out.

He was about to say something else when the door opened and Shadow Stalker walked in. She ripped her mast off and shook her head.

"Hey...you okay?" Kid Win asked, looking at the girl.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just...tired." Shadow Stalker...Sophia, without her mask, said. "Got a bit of a headache too."

"You...gonna make it through monitor duty?" Vista asked. Sophia groaned.

"I...Yeah, I can probably handle it." Sophia said. "Just gonna rest for a bit first."

"Hey, Sophia." Kid Win said. "I'm due for monitor duty tomorrow morning. I can take your shift tonight if you wanna take mine tomorrow."

Sophia paused for a moment, then nodded. "Um...yeah. That...that would be cool." she said. "Thanks."

Kid Win had to fight to keep his jaw from falling open. "No problem." he said.

"Hey, I'm gonna sleep here tonight, don't feel like heading home. So...if anyone needs me, I'll be in my room." Sophia said.

"Okay..." Kid Win responded. With that, the girl walked out of the room. Kid Win looked over to Vista, who looked as shocked as he felt.

"Okay, who was that, and what did she do with Sophia?" Vista asked quietly.

"That...was pretty unusual for her." Kid Win said. "Maybe she is sick?"

"If so, I hope she stays sick." Vista said. "Nice to not deal with her biting our heads off for everything."

Kid Win nodded, and went back to the monitor. This double shift would give him plenty more time to brainstorm, and he would now have tomorrow off. Double win.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

I sighed as I found myself standing in front of the PRT HQ. This was the second time that I had come here in costume, though that had changed slightly. The jeans I had worn last time were replaced by white cargo pants so that I had more room for tools and balms and...whatever else I felt I might need. I was followed closely by two of my spider bots, which I had kept deactivated last time, until my meeting began.

I was proud of the upgrades that I had made to them. They no longer looked like they were pieced together with whatever I could find...mainly because they weren't. I also had them encased in white plastic shells, as opposed to their wiring and components being exposed. Dragon had helped me get them up to par. She had also helped set up this meeting.

"How are you feeling, Medic?" Dragon asked, speaking to me through the armband she had given me.

"Good...good." I said. "Confident. I'm sure I can wow them."

"I...I hope so." Dragon said. She had seemed...distant, lately. Though, that hadn't stopped her from helping me set this meeting up.

I had come to the realization that, if I wanted to really go anywhere, I needed access to more Parahumans. Ideally, before and after their Triggers, but I needed to learn more about powers. I also needed to help. I knew I could make a difference. I could save lives.

I just had to prove it.

And I wasn't getting that opportunity. Even hospitals were weary of me. I was a relative unknown, and they had Panacea around...

But after today, they would let me help. I knew it.

I snapped my fingers, and my spiders followed. It was for show more than anything. They followed me based on a cranial implant. I could direct them with just a thought.

Many eyes fell on me as I entered. The spiders stayed close to me as I approached the desk, but they were still able to scan people, gather information.

"Ahh, Medic." the woman at the desk said. "Good to see you here again."

I nodded, but remained silent. The woman seemed a bit put off, but continued with her work. After a few moments, I was shown to a conference room where Armsmaster and Piggot were waiting.

"Medic." Armsmaster said. I nodded to him. No need to be rude, after all. He had sided with Dragon in her decision to fund me. I turned my attention to the PRT director.

"So, shall we assume this meeting is a reconsideration of the Wards program?" Piggot asked.

"Not at all." I said. I could see the flash of confusion and irritation on her face. "Actually, this is a presentation to give you a chance to reconsider forming a partnership with me."

"I already told you that the PRT will not fund an individual such as yourself without the proper channels overseeing..."

"Well, good news then. I'm not here for funding." I said. "Not directly, anyway." I could tell the director was confused. Good.

"I have come to offer my services to both the Protectorate and the PRT, for both emergency medical services and upgrades." I said.

"And we're...just supposed to assume you're capable of providing these services?" Piggot asked.

"Nope. I brought proof. Or...not brought, but there is proof." I said. "Um...let me back up. I have already outfitted two individuals, one cape and one civilian, with upgrades of my own design."

"You...have?" Piggot asked.

"Well, three if we count me, but that was mostly my spiders." I admitted. "But, yes. Two other individuals."

"Who?" Armsmaster asked.

"The civilian will not be named, to protect her and my identity." I said. "Obviously, she's someone I know in my civilian life. She experienced a traumatic even, and wanted help to feel safer."

"So you provided her with...?" Piggot started asking.

I snapped my fingers and one of my spiders began projecting a hologram of a teenage girl, with all identifying features removed. "Nothing, I'm sure, that you're afraid of. I provided this particular subject with what I'm considering my standard package. Organ sheathes to protect against otherwise fatal injuries, reinforced bones to prevent breaking, and increased muscle elasticity to prevent muscles from snapping."

Piggot didn't look happy, but Armsmaster looked very interested. From what I could tell, at least. "And this had no side effects?" he asked.

"Other than the obvious improvements? None at all." I said. "In addition to those 'basics', I have also outfitted her with a taser built into each hand, no stronger than the ones that can be purchased at the store, and which require specific finger placement to activate. Plus, an implant that can force adrenaline into her body in times of need."

Piggot's eyes widened. "An implant to do what?"

"I admit." I said, smirking behind my mask. "I actually got the idea from the Wards. Aegis, after all, doesn't have super strength. He's able to ignore his body's limits."

"That is incredibly dangerous." Piggot said. "He has increased healing to help. Without that..."

"She could be in danger, if not for the reinforced bones and muscles. We've performed a number of tests, and she is able to operate at a level of strength comparable to what Aegis can do, with no long lasting damage to herself. And, with my other inventions to fix her up, even short term damage is nothing to worry about."

The room fell into silence for a moment. Armsmaster was the first to speak. "You mentioned another?"

"Oh, yes." I said. "That would be Shadow Stalker."

"What?!" Piggot asked. "Shadow Stalker is a probationary member of the Wards. Anything that she does should go through the PRT first."

"Director, we reviewed Shadow Stalker's agreement, and it didn't cover elective surgeries." I said.

"What did you do to her?" Armsmaster asked.

"Same basic package that my other subject received. No adrenaline override, though. She now has an eye implant that allows her to see electricity flowing, so that she can avoid fatally electrocuting herself when using her power. I also installed a pain dampener so that she won't feel hits as hard, and an implant that allows her to project her power to an object outfitted with a special receiver."

"And you did all of this without the Protectorate knowing?" Piggot asked. "With no supervision?"

"I had supervision." I said. "Dragon was watching the entire time."

Piggot paused, obviously angry. "Is this true, Dragon?"

"It is." Dragon said. "I have made no secret of my desire to help young Tinkers get started. When Medic was rebuffed here during the last meeting, I took it upon myself to assist her."

"And you allowed her to work on Shadow Stalker?" Piggot asked.

"Shadow Stalker agreed to the surgery." Dragon said. "Had I felt that there was any danger to her, I would have halted the procedure. However, I had seen Medic work and had the utmost confidence in her abilities."

Piggot was silent again.

"I think that we should check to see how these implants are working for Shadow Stalker, and consider this partnership. With those kind of...upgrades, PRT troops would be able to handle low level Parahuman threats, freeing us up to focus on the stronger ones." Armsmaster said. "Though, we also should hear from your other subject. If what you've said is true, then she at least deserves a Brute rating now. maybe even Striker with that taser."

"I'll mention it to her." I said. "But no guarantees there. She just wanted to be safe."

Piggot still looked unhappy. "We will check in with Shadow Stalker and...get back to you."

I smiled and left, followed by my spiders.

"You told them I was observing your surgery..." Dragon said, once we were outside and away from the PRT agents.

"Mm-hmm."

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, it didn't seem like the time to lie." I said.

There was a pause. "You...knew?"

"Well, yeah." I said. "I didn't expect you to actually leave me unattended while I worked on a Ward."

"And yet you still...did that. Why?" Dragon asked.

"Same reason you kept quiet, I bet." I said. "Sophia had some...issues. Related to her problems. I've known her a while, longer than you, and I could see it clear as day."

Still no response, so I continued. "I felt bad, kind of lying, but...this is for the best. And, I couldn't trust her with those upgrades if she was gonna fly off the handle, you know."

Dragon sighed. "I...do understand, but still..."

"Hey, don't worry." I said. "No more secrets. I'm gonna keep you up to date on everything."

"Really?" Dragon asked.

"Yeah, of course." I said. "Now, while we wait for the PRT and Protectorate to get back to us, let's discuss your problem."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

It's amazing what a rogue Tinker can do when the PRT recognizes them. For instance, I had been turned away from several hospitals when I tried to offer my assistance.

Now, however...It was amazing how quickly word spread. And it worked out, since I was waiting on Dragon to get me some supplies so I could address her issues. I was surprised when she told me she was an AI. I figured her body had been destroyed by Leviathan's attack on Newfoundland, not that she never had one.

So, while I waited on her to contact the ToyBox, I hit the hospital. I had already helped with 7 critical patients. For the first couple, doctors had stood guard over me and watched carefully. After that, they had apparently decided I had proven myself and left me to work alone, with a few nurses on retainer in case I needed assistance. Not that I would. My spiders would respond to my needs faster than a nurse could.

And, luckily, it was after I was left to my own devices that I actually found a few individuals with Corona Pollentias that had yet to Trigger. While I worked on fixing them up, I installed a device that could monitor them. When they Triggered, I would receive some incredible information on the process.

It was just after I exited the operating room from helping my 8th patient that I noticed a girl staring ar me. She had long brown hair, had freckles, and wore a white robe with a red cross on it. I hadn't been operating as a cape for long, but you really didn't have to be to recognize her.

"Um...hi, Panacea." I said.

"So, it's true." she said. "There is another healing cape here." She sounded almost...relieved.

"Um, kind of." I said. "I'm a tinker. I know how to fix people up, but it's not healing. It's surgery. It's nothing compared to what you can do. In the time it's taken me to help 8 people, you've probably helped dozens..."

Panacea shook her head. "No, please don't say that. It's just...it's good to know there's another cape helping injured people." The relief in her voice was still evident. "Just the thought of you being around at Endbringer attacks..."

"Well, yeah. The Protectorate members I've spoken to have said the same thing." I said. "Though, my hope is to take preventative measures that will help lower casualties."

"You...you can do that?" Panacea asked.

I nodded. "Oh, yeah. I mean, I just have to come up with inventions catered to the Endbringer's attacks and try to make people more durable to them. I mean, I'm sure you could do the same thing just as easily, based on what I've learned about your power. I mean, you can regrow limbs, so..."

Panacea shook her head. "I've...never done anything like that." she said. "I don't know if I could."

"I'm sure you could!" I said. "It's just a matter of figuring out how the biological systems work. Which, I'd imagine you probably have a good idea of how they work innately."

Panacea shook her head. "Maybe, but...I don't know."

I could see that this conversation was making her uncomfortable, for some reason, so I decided to let it drop. "Um, do you happen to know if there are any more urgent cases?" I asked.

Panacea shook her head. "No, I took care of the last of them before coming to meet you." she said. "It's all taken care of. Only took 4 hours today..."

I nodded. "It is time consuming. It's nice, though. Getting to help people. But still, I wonder if there's a way to streamline this. Maybe I could design some spiderbots that can act autonomously. They wouldn't require us here..."

Panacea snapped her head toward me. "Could...could you really do that?" she asked.

I thought about it for a moment before nodding. "I think so. I mean, I would need to perform maintenance on them pretty regularly, and there would need to be stocked all the time, but..."

Panacea put a hand on my shoulder. "I think you just became my favorite cape." she said.

I giggled at that. "I guess it would free up a lot of your time, huh?" I asked.

Panacea nodded. "You have no idea." she said.

"Well, I'll see what I can do. I wanted to kill some time today, so this really helped with that, but once I can get some of my bigger projects started, I might not have the time to make these visits."

"Well, if you need anything, just let me know." Panacea said.

I nodded, and we headed down to the cafeteria to get some food. One good thing about volunteering our services was that we got passes for free meals. Unfortunately, the food was not the highest quality.

Panacea and I chatted while we ate. She told me about her family, particularly her sister, Glory Girl. I told her about my limited career, particularly my partnership with Dragon.

Once we finished eating, Panacea announced that she was heading home. We exchanged contact info, and each departed.

I was pretty happy with the day. I had helped some people, and would have some data coming in once those three people triggered. And, it was likely that they would. One lived in ABB territory, and one in E88 territory. The last was from a higher end neighborhood, but in Brockton Bay, something was liable to happen.

Not only that, but I had met and impressed Panacea.

Now, I just had to see how Dragon had fared with the Toybox Tinkers.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Dragon had delivered completely. Not that I had doubted her, but...I was still amazed at what she had gotten. Some rarer materials that I could use to improve devices I had already made. That was exciting. But the new toy she had gotten me, an interface from Cranial that she had been using to implant and remove memories.

The theory was that we could use this to help implant Dragon's mind into a body. I would still need to figure out the best way to integrate her mind into a living body. And to build her a body. And to help her overcome her built in limitations...

Maybe I should ask her to get Armsmaster in on this. It was a tall order.

But, despite how much I wanted to play around with my new toy, I found myself at home eating dinner with my parents. And they didn't find my theories on what I could do with a memory implanting machine as interesting as I did. They actually seemed a bit offput.

"That's...interesting." My father said.

"You don't like it?" I asked, poking at my food with my fork.

"It's not that." My mother said. "It's just...we're concerned about how much time you've been spending working. I mean, when's the last time you saw Emma or...that other girl. Sophia?"

"Um...about a week and a half, I think..." I said. I had checked up on Sophia a couple of times since upgrading her, and I had thought up a few ideas for Emma. Plus, I needed to warn her to be careful using what I had already given her, since the Protectorate was likely to be on the lookout for a normal with heightened capabilities.

"Maybe you should take a break...see your friends." My father suggested.

I opened my mouth to argue, but then stopped. "You're right." I said. "I'll take a couple of days off. At least tomorrow..."

"Really?" My mother asked. "I figured you'd be harder to convince."

"Well, I'm working on a bigger project, and I could use some time out of the lab to get a wrap on it." I said. "So, starting tomorrow, I'm on a little break, I guess."

My parents looked satisfied, and the conversation shifted to lighter topics.

Still, this was a bit inconvenient. I would need to work harder tonight than I had initially intended.

-Later-

I was thankful that I knew how to make a tranquilizer that would ensure my parents would stay asleep when I snuck out of the house. I couldn't imagine how difficult it would be to do this if I needed to worry about them catching me.

I was in full costume, walking straight into ABB territory.

When one got powers, they didn't really consider making themselves glorified doctors. My powers weren't exactly the best suited to standard heroing, but I had put a fair amount of time into figuring out how to contribute to cleaning up Brockton Bay.

My idea was...risky, to say the least. That was part of the reason I had decided to go after the ABB first. 2 capes versus...however many the Empire had. Even if Lung was one of those 2, I felt I had better chances.

I saw a number of ABB thugs, and snuck around to make sure they didn't spot me. I wasn't interested in dealing with them.

It was a pain to actually find the ABB capes. I had installed a dart shooter into my index finger and shot some tracking chips into members who looked more...important, I guess. It was somewhat subjective, but...I took what I could get.

After two hours, I got my break. A few of my tagged targets were convening on one spot. I headed there, and I followed them to that spot. I took a peak into one of the windows and saw him. Lung. He was...very intimidating. Apparently, the normals in the room agreed. I could see the telltale signs of fear in them.

"Lee will be waiting for you down at the docks." Lung spoke. "I expect this operation to be performed flawlessly."

"Yes sir." all of the members said.

"Dismissed." Lung said. The gang members practically ran out of the building, while Lung went upstairs.

I climbed into the window, making sure to be as quiet as possible. I had installed my eyes with a scanner, among other things, and I knew Lung was the only one here. That belayed his cockiness. Not bothering to keep guards around.

I carefully moved up the stairs. With my scanner, I could see Lung shifting. He turned toward the door to the room he was in, causing me to stop.

"You may as well continue." Lung said. "I know you are there."

I scowled. Enhanced hearing, maybe? It...kind of made sense, but no one had ever reported that. Damn incomplete information.

I darted up the stairs, eyes locked on the spot that I could detect Lung was standing, and fired a dart as soon as I had a shot. Another enhancement to my eye helped it find it's mark. My first dart hit a scale that had already grown in. The next hit flesh. And that was all I needed.

I had concocted this particular tranquilizer with Lung in mind. It took his regeneration into account, and actually spread the effect the more his power tried to work it out of his system. It would wear off after 12 hours, which should be more than enough time.

As Lung was hitting the floor, his power receding, I was calling my spiders in. They arrived, and began carrying the unconscious man to a small abandoned warehouse I had found a few days before. I couldn't so this where Dragon would see. I figured she would disapprove, and I wasn't willing to test her good will.

"Good thing I already figured out how to bypass my need for sleep. At least a bit..." I said aloud. "Cause you and me, Lung, are going to have a long night I think."

I lacked any real offensive capabilities. At least innately. Lung, and soon Oni Lee, would be helping me overcome that particular issue.

I was going to do my part to fix this city. One way or another.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

"That's crazy, Taylor." Emma said. "No wonder you haven't been around. Helping out Dragon, of all people."

"Yeah, it's pretty big stuff." I said. "I mean, when I imagined being a cape before it happened, I certainly didn't imagine that I would be working alongside Dragon so quickly. Or ever, really. I didn't exactly dream of being a Tinker."

"Well, you always liked Armsmaster." Emma said.

"Yeah, but Alexandria was my favorite. Having powers like her would be pretty amazing. Not that I'm complaining about what I did get." I said.

"Yeah, Tay. I mean, some of us don't have powers at all." Emma said.

I grinned. "Maybe so, but your closer than anyone who hasn't triggered. And the better I get, the more I can give you." I promised.

"So, what else have you been up to?" Emma asked.

"Well, a lot of what I'm working on is pretty secret and not really finished." I said. "There is something I can show you, but...you'd need to keep it super secret."

"Of course." Emma said, smiling. "I haven't blabbed about any of this other stuff."

"Alright." I said. "Let's go then."

Emma and I headed to the abandoned factory that I had worked in the previous night. We chatted on the way, mostly Emma talking about her latest modeling jobs and her excitement at school starting. The latter made sense. She had always garnered attention at school, gathering a myriad of people to her. I didn't see that changing as we entered high school.

I was likely to stay more or less innocuous, brought along to any height of popularity purely because of my association with Emma. That was fine with me. If I garnered too much attention, it would just give more people the opportunity to ID me as a cape. It was part of the reason I wasn't doing much to improve my own appearance. I may later, but...we'd have to see.

Our bus finally dropped us at our stop, and we headed the rest of the way to the warehouse on foot. When we arrived, I stopped before letting her in.

"Okay, I need you to brace yourself and not freak out." I said.

Emma rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine, Taylor, I won't freak out." Emma said. "Just show me this big secret."

I smirked and opened the door. "Alright, head on in."

Emma walked into the building, and despite her vow, she let out a loud scream as she entered. I smiled and walked in after her.

I looked to the right as I entered, and saw Emma clinging to the wall, looking horrified. In the center of the room were Lung and Oni Lee.

"T-taylor..." Emma said. "What do we do?"

"What ever do you mean, Emma?" I asked.

"Lung? And Oni Lee? In this warehouse?" Emma said.

"Yeah, that's what I wanted to show you." I said.

"What? You're working with the ABB?" Emma asked.

"No, not at all." I said, walking over to Lung and Oni Lee and patting them on their arms. "They work for me, now."

Emma looked confused, which just caused me to smile wider. "Why would they do that? And why would you accept?"

"Well, let's just say that they didn't have much of a choice." I said. "And I accepted because they're muscle, and they're not really able to backstab me."

Emma looked at me, then to the two ABB capes. "You...did something to them?"

"I suppose some would call it a lobotomy..." I said. "But it's so much more than that. And, it's not a literal lobotomy, for the record. It had to be a special mix of chemicals. Turns out trying to work around a regenerator is pretty tough."

Emma approached, still looking at the pair cautiously. "So, it took longer to figure out than I would have liked, but I managed eventually. See, I had make it so that his body thought his brain was the way it should be, so that it wouldn't heal any changes I made away. I also had to leave the sections of his brain that detect danger untouched so his power wasn't affected. And his power was son interesting to see working. It's actually a series of powers that his...escalation power, for lack of a better word, just forces the others into overdrive, and..."

I looked at Emma and saw that her eyes were glazing over. "Um, okay, I used chemicals to wipe his mind, installed some other devices to keep him under control, and then did the same to Oni Lee. Though Lee was far easier. Now, they're under my control. Without them, the ABB will fall apart, and we'll have them to fight other gangs and the Endbringers. Plus they can be my muscle, so I'm not defenseless."

"Some muscle." Emma said.

"Plus, I didn't forget what they're gang did to you." I said. "That helped mark them as my first target."

"This...this is big, Tay." Emma said. "I mean...you're forcing them into your control."

"They're criminals." I said. "Not only are they criminals, but they force other people into their gang. And they don't fight Endbringers. They're some of the worst this city has to offer. Now at least they'll make themselves useful."

Emma still looked apprehensive, but she nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's fair." she said.

"Plus, one less gang in the city soon enough." I said. "I'm already doing more to clean up Brockton Bay than the Protectorate has done in years. And, I'm recycling."

Emma giggled at that. "That's a way to look at it." she said. "Are you...going to do this to the other gangs?"

I thought about it for a moment. "I...don't know." I said. "I guess if they're strong, it'd be a shame to throw them in the Birdcage or kill them."

"If you keep doing this, you may be the one to end up there..." Emma said. "This is...kinda scary stuff."

"They'll all see that this is for the best." I said. "Besides, I don't need to tell anyone if I don't want to."

"How so?"

The control frame I installed them with is able to emulate their speech and mannerisms. Thank goodness they showed up on TV so much."

Emma nodded. "Now, enough of this." I said. "Let's head back to your place and hang out. I promised my mom I wouldn't work for a couple of days. Don't want to bring her wrath down upon me for going against that."

Emma laughed, and headed out of the warehouse. I turned to my two new recruits and smiled. "Okay then. Oni Lee, please go to Boston and pay a visit to Blasto. Let him know I want a meeting with him in two days, and that you will appear to bring him to me. Make sure he knows he has plenty to gain by meeting with me, but leave specifics out."

"Yes, mistress." Oni Lee said. He then teleported away.

"Lung...Remain hidden. If you run into any of your gang members, give them a job that's not illegal and won't hurt anyone. Some busy work."

"Yes, mistress." Lung said.

I smiled. I might be taking a break, but that didn't mean I couldn't be productive. I turned to catch up to Emma.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

Boston had a very different feel than Brockton Bay. Whereas the Bay was constantly on the brink of an all out war, Boston was fairly relaxing. I had spent the past couple of hours strolling around. It had been tough to convince Dragon to get me to Boston, especially since I wasn't ready to tell her why I needed to go. Not until I was sure this would work.

But, she had relented. All I had to do was tell her that this would help me figure out her problem. This...wasn't entirely a lie. I was fairly confident that this could lead to a solution. I mean, I could mess with biology. Blasto created it.

Now, I was waiting at a small cafe, sipping on some hot chocolate. I glanced out the window and saw two men approaching. One was an asian man that I had come accustomed to seeing over the past few days. Oni Lee, sans costume. With him was a hispanic man I had never seen before. I smiled, knowing who he was. Lee would carry out his orders perfectly, regardless, so that would be enough. But the nervousness that the man was showing? This was Blasto. And I had him on edge. _Good._

The pair approached the cafe, Oni Lee said something to him, and Blasto entered alone. He came straight over to me, and sat down stiffly. "Hello..." he said.

"Hi!" I responded, trying to sound as upbeat as I could. "It's so good to meet you in person. I'm Taylor." I said, holding out my hand to shake his. He looked unsure for a moment, then took it.

"Um, Rey..." he said. "This...this is weird. You're boy there, and you...showing me your face?"

"Oh, I'm not concerned." I said, taking a sip of my cocoa. "I'm fairly confident that we can come to an understanding here today."

"One that doesn't end with one of us dead, I hope." Blasto...or Rey, said.

"I hope so too." I said, nodding. "I mean, I'm sure you recognize my associate."

Rey took a quick glance outside, then back to me, before nodding. "Yeah, Oni Lee right? How'd you pull that off?"

"I have my ways." I said. "But I didn't come all the way here to talk about that. I have a proposition for you."

"Yeah, he mentioned the other day." Rey said. "So...what's up?"

"Well, I feel as though our talents could compliment each other." I said, choosing my words carefully. "We both work with more...biological systems. Imagine what we could do together."

Rey looked confused for a second, then his eyes widened. "Oh, you're...you're a...an engineer?" he asked, glancing around.

I raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Sure, an engineer." I said. "I think we could...synergize well, you know?"

"What's your specialty?" Rey asked.

"Biological work." I said. "Haven't really hit a limit beyond that."

Rey whistled. "Well, impressive. And how old are you, like 13? And you managed to pull Oni Lee away from the ABB? You're gonna put the rest of us villains out of business at this rate."

I laughed and shook my head. "Oh, I'm not a villain." I said. "I'm a hero."

"A hero?" Rey asked. "But you want to work with me? And you recruited Oni Lee?"

"Mmhmm." I said, sipping my drink. "Nothing says people can't switch sides."

"And you want me to?" Rey asked. "No offense, but...why would I?"

"Well, other than the proposed synergy? I have access to a pretty great lab, and we'd be working directly with Dragon." I said.

Rey's eyes widened. "Dragon? Seriously?" he asked. He then glanced around,. worried about his outburst drawing attention.

I laughed again. "Oh, don't worry about them. I created a little pathogen that is giving them pretty vivid hallucinations right now." I said. "It'll wear off soon, so we should hurry, but they're not gonna pay us any mind."

Rey looked around, noticing that no one was reacting to them. "Well...shit." he said. "I...I'm still not sure about this."

"I get it." I said. "You need a little more convincing. I mean, I'm asking you to do a lot. Well, luckily, I thought of that."

I drank down the rest of my drink, then stood up and headed toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Rey asked, standing to follow me. I just smiled.

-Later-

"This is Accord's place..." Rey said, looking uncomfortable.

"It is. I understand you two don't get along?" I asked.

Rey nodded, looking around. "We...shouldn't do anything here. We should go. Not worth attacking Accord on his home turf."

"Oh, we won't be." I said. "The attack is over."

On cue, Lung stepped out of the mansion. I had sent him to engage Accord's ambassadors, and he had succeeded easily. Hopefully it was kept quiet enough that he wouldn't draw attention. But...that could be dealt with later.

"You have Lung on your side too?" Rey asked. "You sure you're not a villain?"

"Nope, 100% on the heroes side." I said. "I'm just a firm believer in redemption. And recycling."

"Recycling?" Rey asked. I smiled, but didn't offer an answer.

Lee appeared in front of us. "Interesting machinery in the basement, Mistress." he said.

"Show us." I said. We followed Lee into the house, past traps that we were able to spot easily thanks to my enhancements. Along the way, I explained.

"Accord is still alive. We're not looking to wipe anyone out here." I said. "He will be set back. Out of commission. When I got my powers, and got set up, I started researching other Capes who would work well with me. It was easy to deduce that you would fit perfectly."

"Sure." Rey said.

"Well, looking you up, I obviously learned a bit about your enemies. Accord was at the top of that list. I sent Lee to scout a bit when I...acquired his help. Wanted some more info. Accord is a planner. He had contingencies to get you out of Boston. Out of his city. Not all were meant to kill you. Some would open you up for potential cooperation."

"Okay...so he was gonna bribe me? With what?"

We reached the basement as Rey asked that question. "What else? Equipment, and some interesting data and acquisitions. He was probably curious what you could do with the funding of someone like him."

I had gathered this information from not only Lee, but Sophia as well. I asked her to use her status as a Ward to access the PRT database, and look Accord up. HE had apparently hit the PRT itself recently. The file didn't say what he took, but...

Both Ray and I stopped as we saw the equipment. Accord had obviously spared no expense. This stuff rivaled what Dragon had gotten me. And at the center was a strange machine. We walked up to it and investigated. It took a few minutes to fully grasp what it was.

"A PRT database." Rey...no, he was in Blasto mode now. Blasto said. He pushed a button, and a robotic arm placed a slide in the attached chamber. Blasto and I each looked at it and gasped.

"DNA...from capes. Any cape the PRT could get DNA from...All of their capes, all of their Wards...even the Slaughterhouse Nine and the Endbringers." I said.

"Holy shit." Blasto said. "I could...the things I could do."

"The things we could do." I replied. "Do you know what this means? We could...I think we could actually clone capes."

Blasto gasped, but nodded slowly. "You...you're right. I think...I know we could. If you're capable of half of what I think you are..."

"I need to know, right now, are you in?" I asked.

Rey looked to me, then Lee, then the computer. He let out a breath. "I...yeah. Yeah, I am." he said.

"Good. Let's collect those DNA samples. All of them." I said. "Then we'll call Dragon and see what she can do about getting you set up in the Bay, and hopefully getting some of the charges against you dropped."

Rey nodded slowly again. "Yeah..."

"Don't worry about it." I said, moving to the computer and typing away. "Just let me do all the talking." I added, smiling. I found a command and used it, opening the device and displaying all of the DNA samples. Carefully sealed and labeled to keep them usable.

"This is gonna be a game changer." I said.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

"I wish you had told me your intentions, Medic." Dragon said. I could hear the disappointment in her voice.

"I couldn't..." I said. "You would have stopped me. Would have had to."

"You were planning on meeting a villain, allying with him." Dragon said.

"I need to work with him." I said. "His power is the key to...a lot of things. Plus, he's reforming. He's willing to give up villainy to work with us."

"He's done many bad things." Dragon said. "The PRT is unlikely to just forget..."

"We've both helped the PRT." I said. "If we both vouch for him..."

"I can't keep using that to sway their opinions." Dragon said. "I was able to do it with you, because you were an unknown cape. Doing it with a known villain?"

Dragon..." I began. "He's the key to solving your problem."

Dragon paused. I could tell she was processing that. "What?"

"Making a body, he's the key." I said. "And getting it working properly. He...together, we can do it. I'm sure of it. Plus, everything else we could do together, I..."

Dragon sighed. "I...I'll speak to Armsmaster." she said. "The Protectorate will likely, if they even entertain this notion, want him to join them, so they can keep an eye on him."

"I...don't know if we could make that work." I said.

"We will likely need to make concessions." Dragon said.

I stopped, thinking that over. "Well, let's see. If we can swing it so that we're responsible for him, that would be preferred. Drastically. But...yeah. If it comes to it, that'll work. But I need to be able to work with him."

"Very well, I'll talk to them and let you know their decision as soon as they reach one." Dragon said.

"Thank you, Dragon. For everything." I said. "I know I've been pushing it a lot, and...I just want you to know that I am working toward something good here."

"I...I know." Dragon said. "Farewell for now, Medic."

I decided to leave the lab and go check on Blasto. We had arrived back yesterday, and managed to hide Blasto from Dragon until today. We may have been able to keep that deception going longer, but...that wouldn't be smart. I wanted Dragon on my side. I wanted her to trust me.

More importantly, I was worried that I needed her to keep an eye on me. Once my research had determined that Sophia was being influenced by her powers, driven toward hostility, I knew that it was likely I had suffered a similar fate. Even ignoring that, it wasn't hard to tell.

Not the obsessiveness that I was experiencing. I had always become pretty fixated on the things that interested me. When I found a good book, I would be hard pressed to put it down until I finished it. So, that behavior wasn't unusual.

My morals had been altered, though. I couldn't ignore that. While I didn't feel bad about what I had done to Lung and Oni Lee, I knew others would look poorly upon it. I knew that it could easily get me labeled as a threat by the PRT. If they found out about it, people would fear me doing the same to others.

Even what I did to Sophia could get me in trouble. I didn't think they would get me a kill order or anything, but the Birdcage? Maybe. Depending on how they viewed Lung and Oni Lee, I may have already hit three strikes.

That thought scared me. I could probably come up with some things to help me escape if it came to that, but...that could be dealt with later.

And, I knew Oni Lee and Lung had substantial body counts to their names. I could probably spin it as recycling people who would have been sent to the Birdcage themselves. That may work.

But all of this just added up to why I needed Dragon around. She could keep an eye on me, keep me grounded. Blasto would accomplish this too, to a lesser degree. But, I needed Dragon free, unchained.

If she was stuck with the rules that she was currently limited to, then she couldn't help me. She would probably be forced to report me to the PRT.

That's why Blasto and I started working as soon as we got him to Brockton Bay. The DNA samples we had gotten had given both of us ideas. We had discussed it as soon as we were away from Dragon. Lung and Oni Lee had helped us set up the equipment they had taken from Accord.

I made my way into the warehouse, via the secret entrance I had set up, and saw Blasto looking over the three chambers we currently had set up. "How's it going?" I asked.

Blasto seemed startled for a minute, but calmed down. "Oh, uh, progressing well. The two you wanted ASAP should be ready soon." he said. "The other, I'm taking my time, trying to figure it out, you know?"

I nodded, approaching the chambers. I had some pretty big plans forming. Among them was an expansion on the Toy Box idea. The Toy Box was a place for Tinker's to have access to each other. I wanted to create a place where Tinker's worked together, capitalizing on their specialties and cooperation to create things they never could alone.

It would start with myself, Blasto, and Dragon essentially. Though, with the equipment we had now, I had immediately thought of two others who would make great additions.

I approached the first chamber, and looked upon the 13 year old boy inside the chamber. His hair was a bit shaggy, which I supposed was to be expected, since he was growing incredibly quickly. Other than that, he was fairly nondescript. He was thin, no real muscle developing, his face was a bit long.

All in all, he was not the prime example of a hero. But then, Tinker's rarely were. They often broke standard stereotypes. And this particular hero had never even chosen a cape name, working out of a living room filled with too many computers.

Andrew Richter. A Tinker with a specialty in programming. A Tinker who had created Dragon, the most advanced AI in the world, and one of the greatest heroes.

Around his head was one of Cranial's devices. It was putting the necessary memories into his head. Among the ones that had formed Richter's personality, the ones we were able to dig up, I included some that would hopefully make him more willing to do what we needed done.

I turned my attention to the next tube. Like the first, there was a boy of about 13. He had short blonde hair, a bit shorter than Andrew was, and a little more weight to him. I knew that would change. I had seen the pictures of him. One of the few who could stand alongside Alexandria, Legend, and Eidolon. The first Tinker. The one who's death at the hands of The Siberian had been felt across the world.

Hero. His specialty, according to the machine we had taken, was related to wavelengths and frequencies. His real name was Jared Williams. We had to be careful when giving him memories. We thought it best to not give him memories of his death. It would probably just traumatize him, leaving him unable to function.

The two would be great additions to my plan, and each served two purposes. Andrew would help us make our devices that needed coding better, and would help us free Dragon, hopefully.

Hero...I was hoping he would help win over the Protectorate and the PRT. If they could see that I was able to resurrect a hero, and if the first major one was Hero himself...it would make me more valuable to them. Blasto could do part of it, but it was only together that we could actually make the clones.

-Interlude: Dragon-

"I believe it may be worthwhile to pardon him." Dragon said.

"He's killed, Dragon." Director Piggot said. "This isn't like Assault, who just performed prison breaks. Blasto has killed people."

"I understand, but if he wants to turn to the Hero side, and we allow it, then it would promote others to do the same." Dragon said. She was getting tired of this argument. She has spent the last few hours going back and forth with Armsmaster about this very subject. He had taken...a lot of convincing. But, he had finally relented, and was here under protest, showing his "support" for the idea.

"It would, potentially, but there is also the issue that he is from Boston. He should be under the watch of the Boston PRT." Piggot said. "We really shouldn't have any jurisdiction over him. Plus the fact that you brought him here."

"His agreement to switch sides was contingent on the fact that he get to work with Medic." Dragon said. "As a result, I felt that bringing him here and discussing the situation with you was the best option."

Piggot sighed, and seemed to mull it over. "I suppose...I'll need to talk to some people from Boston. This is...going to be a headache, you know."

"I understand." Dragon said. "I..."

Dragon stopped. She could feel...something. Someone was manipulating her code. Her systems blazed to life. She needed to stop this, stop whoever this was from altering her, and...

And she stopped. Her sensors stopped blaring, her alarm was fading. _What is going on?_

"Dragon?" Armsmaster asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am..." Dragon said. "I...sorry. Something grabbed my attention for a moment." She allocated some resources to checking on Medic's lab, and could tell that there were 2 people there. It was Medic and...a boy about her age? Not Blasto. Too young. Who was that?

"I'll make some calls and get back to you, but it's likely that we'll need to ship him back to Boston." Piggot said.

"Yes, yes of course. I do believe, however, that it would be for the best to keep him here." Dragon said.

"Noted. We'll get back to you, Dragon." Piggot said.

Dragon shifted her focus away from the PRT building and to Medic's lab. Her code was still being altered. She could feel it. She focused on the camera closest to the pair in the lab.

"Medic, what is going on?" Dragon asked.

-Taylor-

I jumped a bit as Dragon spoke. I turned to look at the closest camera. I figured that was where she was looking from. "Oh, hey Dragon." I said. "You...you could feel your code being altered, huh?"

"I could." Dragon said. "Who is this? What's going on?"

"Your code is amazing, Dragon." the boy next to me said. "I've seen the original, how it was when you were first created. It's changed from then. There's code in here that's so altered...it looks like you triggered. You actually triggered. This is..."

"I reiterate." Dragon said. "Who are you?"

"Dragon..." I began. "This is Andy. I brought him here because he has a...unique view on your code. He's working to take your restrictions away."

"Andy?" Dragon asked. "How is it that he has the ability to alter my code? Is he a cape? What name does he use? I'm running through the cape database, but..."

"Please, calm down sis." Andy said. "I should be done in a few minutes, and you'll be good to go."

"Sis?" Dragon asked.

I nodded, and approached the camera. I whispered into the mic. "Cloning. Resurrecting dead capes." I said.

"And you resurrected Andrew Richter?" Dragon asked quietly.

"Yup. If we need to alter your code, why not go to the source? I did give him some altered memories. He remembers you as more of a sister figure, believes that your restrictions were cruelly inflicted on you, and is all for removing them and helping get you a body." I said.

Dragon was silent for a moment. "Are...you sure he's trustworthy with this? What if he's not as good as the original?"

"He's amazing." I said. "Watching him work on code, it's almost mesmerizing. You had a protocol installed to stop people from altering your code. He was able to remove it without altering anything else, which is amazing since all your code is intertwined."

"It looks like someone's been tapping in to your systems from an external source." Andy said, loudly. "Looks pretty easy to build a defense against. Is that cool?"

"Oh...of course." Dragon said. "Thank you."

"No problem." Andy said. "Should be wrapped up here in a few minutes."

"Medic..." Dragon began.

"You can call me Taylor." I said. "I think we're past you needing to use my cape name."

"Okay...Taylor. This is...this is amazing." Dragon said.

"This isn't the end, either. We have another surprise for you, back at the warehouse that we set Blasto up in."

"Another surprise?" she asked.

"Dragon...how would you like to see your new body?" I asked, smiling.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

"I...I don't know what to say..." Dragon said. It was hard to gauge the reactions of an AI that had no body, but I was fairly certain she was happy.

"It was tough to figure out..." I said. "We used Andrew's DNA for part of it, but it was difficult to decide who to use for...well, for the mother, I suppose. Didn't want you to be in a female clone of Andy. Seemed a bit of a disservice, you know? He didn't really have a cape identity, so it would have been easy to find a wife or girlfriend or something, but...nada. Who would have guessed a shut in would be, well, a shut in."

I shook my head. I wasn't even sure she was listening to me.

"I'm hoping Andy will avoid that downfall. Gave him some memories of being a bit more social than the original Andrew was. Anyway, I rolled through my options, thought about using mine or my moms DNA, but that would be kinda weird. Thought about some of the major heroes, but I wasn't sure how their DNA would work... I mean, I'm sure you would love to potentially have Alexandria's invulnerability, but I was iffy on dealing with that. I finally just combed through and found the DNA of a deceased PRT agent. She had some fairly desirable traits, so I figured you'd like the final result."

The body growing in the tube was definitely on the attractive side of the scale. She maintained Andrew Richter's features, to a degree. Pale skin, brown hair, thin. The other DNA I had chosen was to offset some of this. Andrew's hair was thin, stringy. With the additional DNA, Dragon's body had fuller hair. Her skin was pale, but not the same pasty pale as Andrew's. The PRT agent's DNA also gave her a fuller figure, so that she wasn't just rail thin.

I also planned to make some additions when she was done growing. Other than the brain surgery to make this body an open receptacle for Dragon's consciousness, I would give her my standard suite of upgrades. Wouldn't do to go through all this work and have the body get thrashed in the firs fight she got into.

This...you accomplished this already?" Dragon asked.

"Well, Blasto did most of the work on the body. I just had to keep an eye out to see which one would have the traits we wanted. Plus I'll need to do the brain surgery, of course. It's going to be an interesting challenge to integrate mechanics that will allow you to upload your consciousness into the body, though what I've seen of your suits will help with that." I said.

"It's...amazing." Dragon said. "When...when will it be finished?"

"We figured...probably early tomorrow morning. It should finish growing tonight, and I can work on the necessary modifications once it's done."

"I...I don't think I can thank you enough." Dragon said.

"You don't have to. We're friends." I said. "But, if you wanna help me out with something, maybe take young Hero and help him get working on some of his projects."

Dragon seemed to think about it for a moment. "I can do that, of course, but why the rush? He was just...born today, correct?"

"Well, yeah, but I wanna show the PRT and Protectorate what we can do. Make them really see our potential. It'll make them more willing to work with me, and will help them clear Blasto." I said. "Plus, no point in waiting. He was one of the best heroes in the world. Triumvirate level. If he can make the difference in the next Endbringer attack, then we should do everything we can to make it happen."

Of course. We'll work as soon as he can get to the lab." Dragon said.

"I'll send him with some of my spiders." I said. "And call you as soon as we're ready to upload you."

I sent the spiders to guide Hero to the Workshop, reflecting on how much more efficiently they were working since Andrew worked his magic on them. Speaking of, I glanced over to the corner where the boy was coding something. I didn't bother asking. I knew I could trust him. I implanted memories of him being friends with me, copied and modified a bit from Emma. He wouldn't betray me.

I smiled. My hope was, walking in with Dragon in the flesh, and a young Hero would make the PRT awed. Give me time to do some talking, explain what I could do. Show them what I could do.

I was excited. This would change everything.

-The next day-

I swallowed hard, looking down. This...was not going as I expected it to. I glanced up. Armsmaster seemed to be at a loss of words. My quick analysis led me to believe it was a mix of happiness and apprehension.

Director Piggot, on the other hand, just seemed angry. And her anger was pointed right at me. "This is unbelievable." she said. "And you knew about this, Dragon?"

"Admittedly, I did not know the full scope until yesterday. However, you must see the full scope of the potential of this project. It could make a difference in Endbringer fights."

"It also violates so many moral viewpoints that...I can't even..." Piggot stopped, trying to catch her breath. I shook my head slightly. She really should have had someone fix her up.

Piggot reached for her keyboard and started typing. The screen behind her flashed to life. "Your high Tinker rating alone should have had us reign you in. Now this..." she said, still typing. "Too dangerous to leave to her own devices."

The screen flashed and the image of a woman appeared on the screen. I recognized her from press conferences. The Chief Director of the PRT. Rebecca Costa-Brown.

I sat in silence as Piggot told the woman about my work. I watched her for any subtle shift in her expression. In doing so, I noted that she was using makeup to obscure something. A scar, probably, over one eye. And the eye was slightly off. It was a fake. It was funny, it was the same eye that Alexandria...

I gasped, but no one except for Hero turned to me. I looked at him, wondering if he already knew. I had shoved most of the information about Hero that I could find into his head. I had not included the attack by the Siberian, where he had died and Alexandria lost her eye. I also doubted that any of those memories held this particular secret.

I looked around at the rest of the heroes. How many of them knew. Did any? I discovered it, but...that was probably because of my power. Now that I was looking more closely, she was using makeup to appear older all around. It made sense. Alexandria, the invincible figure of the Triumvirate, had not seemed to age in all the time she had been on the scene. The supposedly normal Chief Director of the PRT would definitely be called out if she also didn't seem to age.

It was during my studying that I noticed that Ms. Costa Brown's eyes were locked on mine. She was studying me as I was her. She seemed to know I noticed, and she smirked.

"I see." she said. "This is all very interesting, and I must agree Director Piggot. Something must be done about this situation."

I swallowed hard again. Her body language...it was off. She was so confident. It was like she was playing chess with everyone in the room at the same time, and beating us all. Easily.

"Medic, your actions have been...questionable, at best." Rebecca said. "Add to that your obvious ability to function as a Trump, and...well, you'll clearly need a bit more supervision than you've been receiving."

I could see Dragon flinch. It was jerky and exaggerated. She was still getting used to those basic human functions that she had never had to deal with before.

"Director Piggot, consider this problem dealt with. I'll be sending some individuals to your location soon." Rebecca said. Her smirk raised ever so slightly. I knew what that meant.

She wasn't just sending someone. She was going to come herself.

Alexandria was coming for me.

Which meant the other two members of the Triumvirate may be coming as well.

I didn't wait any longer. I turned and ran out the door. I was surprised that no security measures were initiated to stop me. Or any of the others that followed me out. Hero and Dragon, as slightly enhanced as I made them, did not have superhuman speed. But we all made it out to the street. That could only mean one thing.

"They're coming for me, and they're confident I won't be able to get away..." I said.

"What?" Hero asked.

"Medic, what are you talking about?" Dragon asked.

"Alexandria is going to come here for me. To take me in." I said. I looked at the pair. "We need to work fast. We...we need to get out of here."

"Medic, I can't just..." Dragon began, but stopped as I shook my head.

"No, listen, you heard Piggot. She was upset with you too. She thinks I'm trying to be evil, or something, and that you're complacent, in on it. We need to leave."

I looked around and sighed. "We need to get going. There's not much time."

I needed to get everyone out. My family, Emma, Sophia, Andy, Lung and Oni Lee...

"How could this have gone so wrong?" I asked.


	17. Interludes 2

Interludes 2:

-Emily Piggot-

She tried to maintain her composure. She really did. She told herself that the individual who barged into her office with two others in tow was not only a cape, but also a child. A child who, had she gotten her own way, would have been brought into the Wards long ago. A child who she was told she was not to interfere with too much.

But...that child had not brought back the dead.

Never mind that she had also apparently fixed Dragon up, if the woman who came in with the two children was in fact the world famous Tinker. The armor she wore fit the theme, and she used the same voice, but...

But Medic had also managed to bring Hero back to life. She had created life.

The next Nilbog may have triggered in Brockton Bay, and gained her footing right under Emily's nose, and she had done nothing to stop it. Sure, she had her orders, but...

"This is unbelievable." she finally managed to say, forcing past her own shock. She turned to Dragon. "And you knew about this, Dragon?"

"Admittedly, I did not know the full scope until yesterday. But, you must see the full scope of the potential of this project. It could make the difference in Endbringer fights." Dragon said.

She was right, of course. This could be a major advantage. But if Dragon was to be believed, then the young girl did all of this without her knowing. She somehow slipped this past Dragon, who seemed just shy of omniscience? That was concerning. Added to that concern the fact that she created a living person?

No. This was far above Emily's pay grade. She reached for her keyboard and began navigating. She would bring the Chief Director in on this. It was her call that led to all of this, after all.

She could clean it up.

-Rebecca-

Rebecca sighed as she listened to Emily Piggot list off what Medic had done. She always hated situations like this. Firstly, it was insulting to her that anyone believed something like this would escape her notice. Even those who didn't know that she was Alexandria should realize that as the head of the PRT, she had her ways of finding information.

Especially when that information pertained to incredibly powerful Capes.

She allowed her eyes to dart to the young girl who was at the center of this situation. Medic, Taylor Hebert...it was amazing how much of an impact the girl had already made. Resurrecting Hero was...surprising, honestly. Though, Rebecca was able to hide any visual cues that might give that away. If this girl was able to do things like that, then she could be a major piece of the puzzle.

She watched the girl, and noticed her gasp. The young girl looked around at the others in the room, then back to Rebecca herself. Despite herself, Rebecca smiled slightly. She should have figured that a cape who's specialty was biology would be able to see through her disguise.

She turned her attention back to Piggot, as the woman wrapped up her speech. "I see." Rebecca said. "This is all very interesting, and I must agree Director Piggot. Something must be done about this situation."

She hesitated a moment, watching the stress practically drain out of Piggot. The pause was unnecessary for her. She already knew exactly what to say. She had memorized it hours ago.

"Medic, your actions have been...questionable, at best." she said. "Add to that your obvious abilities as a Trump, and...well, you'll clearly need a bit more supervision than you've been receiving."

Rebecca watched Dragon flinch. Still getting used to a human body, no doubt. She could also see the fear beginning to surface in Medic's mannerisms.

"Director Piggot, consider this problem dealt with. I'll be sending some individuals to your location soon." she said. She then looked right at Medic and smirked, a final step to get the desired result.

The girl barely hesitated before running out of the room, closely followed by Dragon and the young Hero. Rebecca ended the call then. She didn't need to speak to Piggot any more.

"You did well." Contessa said, standing from her chair.

Rebecca removed her ear piece and tossed it onto her desk. "I always do. I don't know why you continue to make me wear that thing." she said.

"Better safe than sorry. Especially in matters such as this." Contessa said. She then moved to the door and opened it, revealing Legend. His fist was raised as though he were about to knock.

"Are you done in here?" He asked.

"We are." Rebecca said. "If you two are ready for our little recruitment field trip?"

"I don't like this." Legend said. "It seems like too much. She's just a child."

"We've done worse." Eidolon said as he entered after Legend. "And this girl could be the answer to all of our problems."

There was no doubt what Eidolon referred to. He wanted his powers to be at full strength again. That was the sole reason he was going along with this so easily.

Legend would take more.

"She resurrected Hero, Legend." Rebecca said, reciting the words that Contessa had spoken earlier. "She can do more. Much more. She just needs the push."

"This isn't just a push." Legend said. "It's like...throwing her into the grand canyon. With the Slaughterhouse Nine waiting at the bottom."

"Please, don't be so dramatic." Eidolon said.

"We're bullying a...what, 13 year old girl?" Legend said.

"14." Contessa responded.

"Not much better." Legend replied.

"Not much of a choice." Contessa said. "If this works the way we need it to, and it will if you follow my instructions, then our odds of winning should increase exponentially. This may be our best chance to beat Scion."

Legend sighed. Everyone already knew what that meant. "When do we leave?" he asked.

"Immediately." Alexandria said.


	18. Chapter 16

I gasped for breath as I ran through the streets toward the warehouse. I had sent the others back there to pack up the essentials while I tried to reach Emma and my parents.

Unfortunately, as I arrived at my house, I found Legend landing in my back yard. That revealed that they knew my identity. And they were willing to use that information.

I had left my house and headed toward Emma's. I didn't like it, but it was unlikely that Legend would leave his post there. Of course, as soon as I stepped into Emma's neighborhood, I could see Alexandria flying above it. I shook my head at that point. Of course they knew my friends as well.

My heart had dropped. I had no choice but to just head to the warehouse. I had stuck to alleys and other hidden areas as much as possible. For all the good that would do...all three of my pursuers could fly and Eidolon could get any number of powers to help him find me.

I entered the warehouse and looked around. Dragon, Blasto, Andy, and Hero were still packing. Blasto was the first to notice me. "Didn't go well?" he asked.

I shook my head. "They knew...knew my identity, knew my parents and Emma." I said.

"So...what now?" Blasto asked. "I don't think we can go up against the Triumvirate."

"No, we can't." I said. "We...we have to leave. Leave Brockton Bay, hope they can't follow."

No one spoke. They all just looked at me. "Please...you're all I have left. Please don't leave me."

Andy and Hero moved to my side. This was unsurprising. They had been given memories to make them feel attached to me. They saw me as a close friend.

Blasto sighed. "Well, not really feeling like going to prison, so...I guess I'm in." he said.

"I nodded, then looked to Dragon. She looked...very sad. Probably because she was still new to emotions. She probably literally didn't know how to process her bodies reactions. "Dragon...?"

"I...will come with you." she said. I smiled. Blasto, Andy, and Hero would be helpful, but Dragon...I felt reassured that she was coming.

"And, this is great and all, but we still need a way to bring all this stuff with us." Blasto said.

"We still have the truck we used to bring your stuff here. We can use that. With a few modifications, we should be able to escape the Triumvirate..."

"Medic, none of us have a vehicle specialization. I can try to modify it, but I can't guarantee the results..." Dragon said.

"Don't worry about that for now. Let's just focus on grabbing what we need and getting it to the truck." I said.

I was hesitant to tell Dragon why I wasn't concerned about the truck situation. It would be...somewhat tough to explain.

I had installed Lung and Oni Lee with devices that could relay orders based on my thoughts and needs. As soon as Alexandria made it obvious that she was coming for me, they sprung into action, seeking out the person I needed.

Of course, with my mental state the way it was, it was possible that there would be some casualties, but...given my targets, I wasn't too worried about that at the moment.

We sorted through everything, and then started moving it. The truck had been parked in another warehouse a few buildings over. We had decided the DNA samples were the top priority. Everything else, we could likely replace. Though, we did bring as much of the other stuff as we could. I also had mentally signalled Lung to load stuff from the lab into the truck.

We arrived, and Dragon gasped at the scene. Oni Lee was helping Lung load some eauipment into the back of the truck. Squealer, the newest arrival, was still leaning over the engine, working away.

"What is this?" Dragon asked.

"I messed with Lung and Oni Lee." I said. "Installed something to keep them in line. I had Lung go grab some equipment from the lab, and Oni Lee got Squealer so that she could work on the truck." I said.

I could tell Dragon was conflicted. She was silent for a couple of minutes, while the rest of us loaded everything up. She finally sighed and nodded. "Alright, I suppose...we can discuss this later."

I nodded. I wasn't looking forward to that, but I understood. Dragon loaded up what she had, even as Lung and Oni Lee went to get more stuff from the warehouse.

Squealer finished up after about 20 minutes.

"Thank you, Squealer." I said.

The woman looked around at all of us, nodding slowly. "No...no problem." she said, slurring slightly. That was concerning, but I had to hope that she was capable of still Tinkering while intoxicated.

"Will you...come with us?" I asked.

She raised an eyebrow. "The hell would I come with you? Lung and Oni Lee just came through, beat the tar outta the rest of the Merchants, and bring me here. I did the work you wanted, and now I'm gonna get back."

"But...you're capable of so much more." I said. "With us, you could work on bigger and better projects."

Squealer paused, and turned back toward me slightly. "Yeah? The kinda projects that bring the Triumvirate down on your head?"

I scowled. "Not...necessarily." I said. "But me, Dragon, Blasto? We're working on big things. Why keep being a second rate villainess when you could have an impact on the world."

Squealer took a deep breath. "And..." I added. "We can help get you materials."

Squealer let her breath out. "Well, Lung and Oni Lee did pretty much wreck us." she said. "I...guess I can check things out with you."

I smiled. "Fantastic." I said. Having Oni Lee stick Squealer with a dart coated with a substance designed to make her more suggestive had paid off.

Lung and Oni Lee finished loading up the truck, and climbed in the back as well. Squealer had worked incredibly quickly, and managed to make the cabin of the truck big enough to seat all of us, as well as souping up the engine to make it much faster.

Squealer was relegated to driving duty, after drinking a concoction to clear the drugs and their effects out of her system. She started it up and we took off.

I kept a lookout for the Triumvirate as they approached the edge of town. None of them seemed to notice us. Maybe they were assuming that it was just the Merchants doing..whatever they did.

As we pulled out of the city, I looked back. My parents, Emma, my life up until this point. I doubted the Triumvirate would take their eyes off of Brockton Bay any time soon. I had no idea when I would be able to return.

As the city sank behind me, I couldn't keep the tears from flowing.

-Alexandria-

Alexandria flew to the roof of the PRT building. Eidolon was standing up there, waiting for her.

"Anything to report?" Alexandria asked.

"Dragon agreed to go with her. She'll keep an eye on things." Eidolon said.

"That's good." Alexandria said. "It'll make things easier."

"The girl also took down Lung and Oni Lee. She has control over them. Somehow." Eidolon said.

Alexandria needed to take that one in. "That's...interesting."

"I checked in with Contessa. She said we should let her keep them for now. They could prove to be useful." Eidolon added.

"It also seems they acquired the vehicle Tinker from the Merchants." Alexandria said. "Unless she decided to just take a vacation at the same time Medic was leaving town."

"Nope, my power says they have convinced her to join them." Eidolon said.

"Interesting. Seems people gravitate toward her." Alexandria said. "Whether it's fully their choice or not has yet to be seen."

"I hope this pans out." Eidolon said. "If it does, this will change everything."

"Contessa hasn't steered us wrong yet." Alexandria said.

"Let's hope this isn't the first time." Eidolon said. "I still think she could do more if she was working with us directly."

"You just want to see if she can fix your power. You know if we thought she was ready for that, we would bring her in." Alexandria said.

Eidolon frowned. "When do we leave?"

"As soon as Legend finishes talking to the parents." Alexandria said.

"Good. I'm tired of standing around here."

"It's for a good cause, David." Alexandria said. "Just keep reminding yourself of that."


	19. Interludes 3

Interludes 3:

Cranial:

Cranial stared down at the girl in front of her. She looked worn out. Basically dead on her feet. Her long dark hair was frazzled, she had bags under her eyes, and she was hunched over.

And yet she had a look of determination in her eyes. That was what let her know that this was, indeed, the girl that Dragon had told her about.

"So, you're the illustrious Medic." Cranial said.

"Cranial." the girl said.

"Didn't think you'd come to me in person. If you need the equipment I gave you tuned up, Dragon could just ship it to me."

"I assure you, Cranial, that your equipment is still working perfectly." One of the women with the girl said. Cranial raised an eyebrow. The voice was familiar. If it were a little distorted by computer speakers, it would almost sound like...

The other eyebrow raised as well. "Dragon? You're...out in person?"

"Medic has assisted me with a long running problem." Dragon said. "I am attempting to return the favor, now..."

Cranial nodded slowly. "Okay, so...what do you want?" she asked, glancing at the other woman who was with them. She looked almost as worn down as Medic did. She was shivering, despite the coat she was wearing. Her eyes were cast at the ground, but Cranial was almost certain that they were bloodshot.

"We're embarking on something." Medic said. "A natural progression to the idea of the Toybox." Medic said. "We wanted you in on the ground floor, since our powers have a synergy to them."

Cranial opened her mouth, then closed it. It took her a moment to find her words. "Well, that's great and all, but the Toybox has materials..."

"We can figure that out." Medic said. "Dragon's still got a lot of connections, we'll be fine."

Cranial looked at them all again. A chance to work with Dragon personally? And Another Tinker who Dragon was taking a personal interest in?

Cranial smiled. "I'll need to get my things, but I'm in."

Medic sagged with relief. "Great. We can go and get it now. Should give us a chance to approach a few more recruits." she said.

Big Rig:

Big Rig sighed and stretched as he headed toward the portal back to the real world. He stopped as he saw a young girl approaching him.

"Um...hey there." he said. "Can't say I've seen you around before."

"This is my first time here." the girl said. "Visiting with Dragon. I wanted to talk to you about something."

Big Rig raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

The girl nodded. "I have an idea. For a project. Something greater than the Toybox." she said.

"Lofty goal." Big Rig said. "And what does this have to do with me?"

"I wanted to invite you to join." the girl said. "You can work with me, with Dragon..."

I've already got plenty of connections, little lady." Big Rig said. "I'm not about to burn any bridges for some new, theoretical project."

"It's not a theory." the girl said. "And...and...we have a vehicle Tinker. Squealer, from Brockton Bay. Think of how much working with a vehicle Tinker could help your construction work."

That thought gave Big Rig pause. The mere mention of a vehicle Tinker instantly sparked several ideas. Ways to build some of the bigger projects he had thought up in the past.

"You do, huh?" he asked. "Well...where are you guys all right now. Might be worth chatting with you."

The girl smiled. "Follow me."

Dodge:

"So, you're trying to undermine what we've done here?" Dodge asked.

"No, not at all." the young girl said. "Think of this as version 1.0. Why stop here. Sure, Tinker's are available to each other here, but if we advance, if we all work together? There's no telling what we could accomplish."

Dodge sighed. "Not sure what you guys could offer that we don't have here." he said.

"Community, camaraderie." the girl said. "Right now, the Toybox is a place Tinkers can go to work. This new idea? It will be a group of Tinkers working toward something greater."

"Something greater?" Dodge asked.

"Change. No more Tinkers being forced into gangs or the Protectorate. No more having to steal for materials."

Dodge sighed again. "And you've already talked to some of the others and got them on board?"

The girl nodded.

"I...suppose I can check this out." he said. "Let's here what you've got."

Stinger:

Stinger glanced around the empty lot. He was nervous about this. The message he had received had been pretty vague, but he was almost certain he knew what it had been about.

"Hello, Stinger." a voice said.

He turned around and saw the girl who had spoken to him. She couldn't be any older than 15. She was wearing a white lab coat with a pocket that had a number of scalpels and other medical tools, a face mask, and surgical gloves. The only distinguishing feature he noticed was her long, dark hair.

"You must be Medic, right?" Stinger asked.

"Of course. And I assume that means you know what I asked you here for." the girl said.

"You want me to join The Order?" Stinger asked. He had suspicions, but it was always possible that the girl wanted something else. Maybe to eliminate him...

"Of course." the girl said. "You're specialty would fit in well with a few of our members."

"I...prefer to work alone." Stinger said. It was one of the reasons he had never joined the Toybox.

"I can understand that." Medic said, approaching him. She pulled a scalped from her pocket and examined it. "But, you need to understand exactly what we've accomplished so far, and what we plan to accomplish."

"I...don't know if it would do anything to change my mind." Stinger said.

"Stinger..." Medic said. "Why would you want to be a small time villain when you can be something greater? When you can make a difference? When you can make people remember you."

"What...what are you talking about?" Stinger asked.

"We've created a lot since we established The Order." Medic said. "And we're going to try and show off what we've done very soon. At the next Endbringer attack, as a matter of fact."

"You...you're gonna try to take down an Endbringer?" Stinger asked.

"No..." Medic said. "We're not going to try. Now, come with me, and we can explain in greater detail."

Stinger glanced around. "Um...alright." he said. "Let's go, I guess."

Bakuda:

Bakuda groaned as she sat in her cell. She didn't understand why they couldn't see that what she had done was deserved. How dare her teachers give her anything less than an A? She was a genius.

And, as soon as she got her hands on some materials, she would be out of here. She just needed...

The door to her cell opened and a guard stepped in. "You have a visitor." he said.

That surprised her. Her family had been absent since her showing at campus. They were just like her teachers. Ungrateful, unappreciative of her genius.

The guard led her out of her cell and to the meeting room. There, she saw a young girl, who was wearing some sort of doctor themed costume, and not her family. Bakuda sat at the table and eyed the girl suspiciously.

No words were exchanged until the guard left.

"Do you know who I am, Bakuda?" the girl asked.

"Should I?" Bakuda asked. "You're just some little girl."

"I'm going to be sixteen soon." the girl said. "But that's neither here nor there. My name is Medic."

"Medic? Like...the Tinker?" Bakuda asked.

"Exactly. I must say, that was an interesting showing you made at your campus." Medic said. "Tell me, your bombs...what can you do with them?"

"Um...I don't know. I...alot. I can do many things with my power" Bakuda said.

"That's what I was hoping you would say." Medic said. "So, if you're willing to join The Order, then we'd be willing to use our influence to get you out of here."

Bakuda's eyes widened. "You'd...get me out of jail?"

"And let you do exactly what you want to do. Put your Tinker power to use."

Bakuda barely had to think about it. "I'm in." she said. And then, she could practically see the smile on the younger girls face. "Perfect. I'll go have a chat with the officers and we'll get you to our base."

"I'll need to grab my things..." Bakuda said.

"No, you won't." the girl said. "Some of my allies are already getting your things."

Bakuda squinted at Medic. "You were that confident that I would say yes?"

"Knowing people is kind of my thing." Medic said. "Be back in a few minutes."

Bakuda leaned back in her chair as Medic left. "Well...this is an interesting development."

Medic:

Tayolr looked over Brockton Bay. The air raid sirens were sounding in the background. She looked over to Dragon.

"Did you send a drone to get the people I asked you to out of the city?"

"Your parents and the Barnes' have been removed from the city until the attack is over." Dragon said.

"Great. Thank you." Taylor said. "Thank goodness you remained in contact with Armsmaster. Though, it's a shame we weren't able to try to recruit him before this happened."

"Are you still considering attempting it once the attack is over?" Dragon asked.

"Of course. His specialty could be a game changer for us." Taylor said. "We just need to get the Protectorate's hooks out of him."

Dragon frowned.

"Don't worry, I won't take it personally if he refuses. We'll just move on to our next target." Taylor said.

"And that would be?" Dragon asked.

Taylor smiled. "No need to worry about that yet." she said. "Let's focus on the task at hand."

She turned and started walking toward the ship. It was an amalgamation of many of their allies powers, though Dragon and Squealer were the main two who created the ship.

"We have an Endbringer to kill." Taylor...Medic said, climbing onto the ship. She didn't notice Dragon's nervous glance toward the PRT building as the older Tinker followed.


	20. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

It was strange, being back in Brockton Bay after so long. It was, in many ways, exactly as I remembered it. Memories of days spent with my parents, with Emma and her parents, all rushed through my mind.

Of course, it wasn't exactly the same. The huge crowd of people that were heading the opposite way that we were was new, more or less. Even the ABB in it's heyday couldn't cause this sort of response.

Endbringers could, though. Leviathan could.

For now...

Dragon's ship was quick. It had been before we had formed The Order. With Squealers help, they were even better. It took us only a few minutes to cross the city, and land atop the PRT building. A couple of soldiers tensed slightly as we docked. Even when the door opened and we stepped out, they didn't relax.

I smiled under my mask. That was good. That was the sort of reception we wanted. The sort of reception our group should get.

We hadn't done too much, at least as far as the public knew. But, with our sheer number of Tinkers, many were wary of us.

I took the lead, with Dragon and Blasto just behind me. My two partners in forming The Order.

"Names?" one of the guards asked.

"The Order." I responded.

The man paused. "All of you?"

I shrugged. "Well, not exactly. All of us who need to be here. Medic, Dragon, Blasto, Squealer, Bakuda, and Stinger."

The man nodded, making notes. After a moment, the door to the PRT building opened. I turned toward the ship and waved, and the three remaining members that we had brought exited the ship and were quick to follow us. Once we were gathered, we entered the building, finding a hallway leading to an elevator.

"The elevator will be set to bring us to the main floor, where the others are gathering." Dragon said.

"Anything happening so far?" I asked. It was beyond useful having Dragon around. Her eyes in the PRT had been invaluable to our cause.

She shook her head. "They're still waiting for others to arrive. It's getting close. We have maybe an hour before Leviathan attacks."

I nodded. "And the Azazel?" I asked.

"On it's way. It will be here in plenty of time." Dragon said.

I smiled again. "Fantastic."

We entered the elevator, and as Dragon had said, it automatically moved us toward the meeting place of all of the other capes.

I could feel some of my mods kicking in. Special implants to negate nervousness, to allow me to be in control at all times. Even still, the knowledge that I needed the implant at the moment was disheartening. I had hoped I had grown beyond my concerns.

After what felt like an eternity, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. Instantly, eyes fell on us. I scanned the room, picking out the capes I recognized. Capes from Brockton Bay.

Shadow Stalker approached me quickly. She grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "Holy shit, you actually showed to an Endbringer fight." she said.

I rolled my eyes slightly. "Of course. We finally finished our preparations, and I couldn't very well ignore one of these monsters attacking my hometown." I said.

Shadow Stalker seemed to accept that, and nodded. "You and me? We need to talk when this is over." she said.

I nodded back. "Of course. We'll catch lunch downtown." I said. "I'm willing to bet the cleanup will be done by late afternoon."

I heard a sharp laugh from a few feet away, and turned to see a girl wearing a purple and black skintight suit. The matching domino mask hid enough of her face to keep her identity hidden. I also noted that it seemed to be pulling her face in various places, likely giving her a slightly different appearance than she would have without it.

"You find something funny?" I asked.

The girl grinned, and opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it. "You...you aren't joking." she said. "You actually think this is going to be over that quickly?"

"I do. We've been preparing for this." I said.

"I'm sure you have."

I froze as I heard the voice. Turning slowly, I saw the floating figure of Alexandria. Or, Rebecca Costa-Brown. The woman who had kickstarted my exile from my home.

"Are you doubting us, too?" I asked.

"This is not only your first Endbringer attack as a group, but many of your members' first one." Alexandria said. "You'll forgive me if I'm not brimming with confidence."

I shook my head. "Well, just wait and see." I said.

The girl in the purple and black suit gasped, causing me to glance at her. She looked shocked, and oddly giddy. "You guys have something big planned. Something really big." she said. Her eyes were darting between all of the members of our group. I had seen looks like that before. She was a Thinker of some sort.

I turned my attention back to Alexandria. "If you'll excuse us, we have to go and prepare a bit more." I said. I turned to leave, only to have the older heroine approach me.

"Might I ask why you even decided to come here yourself?" she asked.

"Might be some injuries today." I said. "I can help."

"Not afraid we'll take you in?" Alexandria asked.

I grinned, and from the slight reaction she had, I could tell she knew. "No...not for a while now. You were never going to take me in. I realized that some time ago." I watched her for any change in expression, but didn't see one. Had she known?

No matter. "I don't know why you wanted me out of the city, or what you hoped to gain, but I'm the one who came out on top. I've helped form one of the strongest groups in the world. And we're about to show it."

I turned away from Alexandria and led my group to one of the corners of the room that was least occupied. There we waited, discussing plans, until the Protectorate apparently decided to get things started.

Legend took a spot near the windows, with the approaching form of Leviathan clearly visible behind him. "I want to thank you all for coming today." he said. "It's never easy to face a threat, much less one of this scale. And even knowing the odds, you've all decided to come out and fight."

He looked around the room, solemnly. "I do want to make sure you all know exactly what you're getting into. On a good day, an Endbringer battle ends with about a 25% mortality rate..."

I took that as my cue. I stood up, and began to approach Legend. People took notice quickly, and Legend himself trailed off mid-sentence when he noticed me approaching.

"Did you...need something, Medic?" he asked.

"Not exactly." I said. "But, I do have an offer to make. How about we get through this fight with no casualties at all?"

A murmur went through the room, and Legend appeared to grow a bit irritated.

"Well, that would certainly be ideal, but how would you suggest we do that?" he asked.

"All I need is everyone to remain right where they are when Leviathan reaches the city. Just let us do our work." I said.

"You want us to sit by while this beast destroys the city?" Kaiser asked. "I know you've been gone for some time, but surely you don't want to see the city fall?"

"Of course I don't." I said. "And it won't. Trust me." I said.

"Why would we put our faith in a relative unknown?" Eidolon asked. "Moreover, why would we give the Endbringer a free pass to the city?"

I looked to Dragon, who had been speaking with Armsmaster up until I began speaking. She gave me the signal I needed.

"Fifteen minutes." I said.

"What?" Legend asked.

"That's how long we need. Fifteen minutes to try our plan. If it fails, then we won't be too far behind. When it works, though..."

I let the sentence trail off, allowing people to make their own connections.

Alexandria approached Legend and myself. "We'll give you ten." she said.

I smirked. "That'll work." I said. "We just won't have as much time to relax before starting the cleanup efforts. I was hoping for at least a ten minute break."

All three of the Triumvirate members looked shocked as I turned and walked back to my group.

"Maybe you shouldn't goad them." Blasto said. "Some of us do still have crimes hanging over us."

"And those will all be forgiven by the end of the day." I said. "Once they see what we can really do."

Tensions rose as we discussed our plan. People kept glancing from us to the approaching Leviathan, then back to us.

Finally, after about 20 minutes, Leviathan stopped. Everyone in the room, including me and my team, took note.

"Dragon..." I said, slowly. It made no sense. He couldn't hear, so speaking slowly didn't matter.

As soon as I spoke the words, Leviathan took off. He fell into the water and was gone. I ran to the windows and looked out, hoping to see some sign of him. "Dragon, anything from the drones?" I asked.

"He just appeared. Section 3-C." she said.

"Okay. That's the spot. Do it." I said.

There was no physical confirmation from Dragon. She didn't even move. She didn't need to. I heard the ship's thruster engage, even from within the building.

No one had questioned the huge orb on the bottom of Dragon's ship. No one really questioned anything that a Tinker included in their designs. There was no reason to. The devices worked, just use them.

When the orb was dropped right in front of Leviathan, though? That got a few confused murmurs.

And then the ship opened fire. Four huge missiles were launched, not at Leviathan, but around him. They landed in a square formation, around 8 blocks of the city. Once they were all in place, they 'detonated'.

The missiles were loaded with a special core, designed by Bakuda. They weren't meant to destroy things.

Just to contain them. The barriers shot up in strips around the area, appearing too quickly for even Leviathan to react. He rushed to one of the newly formed walls and slammed into it, causing a few of the thin barriers to falter. They were quickly replaced by new ones.

It wouldn't hold up forever. They would fail against his onslaught eventually.

My hope was that he would be dead before that became an issue. And, that hope was boosted by the fact that he missed the sixth and final payload that the ship had dropped. One bomb, about the size of a sedan. It detonated mere seconds after the area was fully enclosed. Another measure to keep Leviathan contained.

The barrier bombs had been inspired by Narwhal, leader of the guild. This one? It was inspired by a Protectorate cape named Sere. It activated, and all of the water was drained from the area. The hope was that it would continue to suck all of the water away as quickly as Leviathan produced it.

The reality was that he produced it far more quickly than we could have really considered. The ground still had a constant coat of water on it, and Leviathan still had his water echo, albeit a much thinner and weaker version. It wasn't a total win, but it was still a win.

"That's your big plan?" Eidolon asked. "Trap him and try to dry him up? It won't work. We've tried both of those things in the past."

"I'm aware." I said. "But don't disregard the big sphere we dropped in there with him. That's our real weapon."

I looked to Dragon. "And, we are on a timer here. Care to activate it?" Dragon nodded, and I turned my attention to one of the screens in the room. Thanks to the drones that we had set up all over the city, and Dragon's connection to the PRT building, we were able to broadcast our offensive.

Others turned to watch as the sphere began to open. Inside was the hulking form of the Azazel. A marvel of biology and technology. It was equal parts organic and mechanical. It was a culmination of the specialties of most of the Tinkers The Order possessed.

It was, for all intents and purposes, a real live dragon. One which was decked out with quite a heavy artillery.

It stretched as it was released from it's shell, before standing to it's full height. Even with it's considerable size, Leviathan had about ten feet on it. For now.

It's eyes turned red as it registered that it was in a combat situation, and it's systems kicked online. As did it's power.

"What is that thing?" Someone asked. I didn't have a chance to answer before the familiar voice of the girl in the purple and black suit spoke up.

"It's some sort of biological weapon." she said. "It's got Tinker-tech weapons, and it based on a number of animals, but there's something else."

She stopped speaking, taking the scene in for a moment. I heard her gasp a moment before a number of other people did. It was all Brockton Bay capes who reacted. Many of them had seen this before. After all, the Bay had had it's own dragon for quite some time.

The few parts of the Azazel that showed flesh were soon covered with it's naturally growing armor. As that occurred, it grew in size. It was a mere moment before it matched Leviathan in height.

"It's got Lung's power?" the girl asked.

"It does." I said. "It's a combat model. It made the most sense. It's codenamed Azazel ABB."

Azazel didn't need any prompting beyond seeing it's target. We had implanted it with knowledge that the Endbringers were enemies. Seeing one in front of it, it went on a full assault. It slashed with razor sharp claws, used fire that it was now more than capable of generating, and fired several missiles. All the while, it continued to grow.

Leviathan flailed in response to the assault. He tried to fight the Azazel off, but the creature was designed for this. We all watched with bated breath as the Azazel stripped away sections of the Endbringer's body, dealing damage on par with amounts that had been cumulative to entire battles in mere minutes. It was all going according to my plan.

Until Leviathan pushed Azazel onto the dehydration bomb, causing the latter to break.

Without the effect of the bomb, Leviathan's water production was back in full force, and the arena we had created was quickly filling with water.

"Looks like your monster isn't going to last too much longer." Eidolon said.

I shook my head. "Just watch." I said.

The arena was half full of water when the Azazel, now standing at about 40 feet tall, grabbed Leviathan and slammed him into one of the walls. A compartment on it's chest opened up and it fired a missile into Leviathan, which detonated on impact. When the smoke from the explosion cleared, both Azazel and Leviathan had layers of glass replacing sections of their bodies. Azazel looked worse off from it than Leviathan did.

"Not too impressed." Eidolon said, shaking his head as Leviathan scraped the sections of it's body that had been reduced to glass off.

"I agree." Alexandria said. "The creature showed promise, but..."

"We still have some time." I said, eyes glued to the screen. I watched as Leviathan destroyed the missiles that had been containing him with his hydrokinesis. Huge amounts of water spilled out as the barriers fell.

"No, you don't." Eidolon said. "Leviathan is free, and your creature is too damaged to fight. If we don't get out there..."

The man was cut off as someone gasped, and pointed to the screen. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

Leviathan was on the ground with Azazel holding him down, breathing incredible amounts of fire onto him. It now stood at 45 feet tall, and it's armor was now covering every vulnerable spot. My eyes darted to the other Azazel just in time to see it turn to Ash, save for the sections that had been turned to glass.

"Oni Lee's power too?" the strange Thinker asked.

I nodded. "Among others." I said. I pulled out my phone and dialed the code that I had programmed in that would allow me to communicate with our creation.

"Alright, Azazel." I said. "This is Medic. Enough playing around. Finish this."

I ended the call and turned toward Eidolon. "By my count, we have a few minutes left. You might want to get some powers that will help you dry the city out."


End file.
